There have been people worshipping on this site in Swynnerton for around a thousand years. The origin of the church is Norman, though evidence exists that some stones date back to Saxon times when the manor house in the village was the royal residence of a Saxon prince.
The inner doorway leading into the main part of the church is where you can see fine Norman craftsmanship. The arch displays eighteen “bird beak” mouldings.
The nave, chancel and south aisle were rebuilt in the middle of the thirteenth century and the north aisle somewhat later. The Victorians launched a major restoration and added the clerestory high up to make the church taller and lighter.
The screen between the nave and chancel is Tudor and on the south wall of the chancel is a thirteenth century double sedilia and piscina. Also in the chancel is the tomb of a crusader, believed to be that of Sir John de Swynnerton, who died about 1254.
There are some interesting memorials to local families in the stained glass windows and the east window was designed by Sedding, probably inspired by Burne-Jones. Six bells hang in the tower.
The part of the church which we now use as a vestry was added in the middle of the fourteenth century. Fixed to the wall in here is the top of the original altar from the main church and another sedilia and piscina. Against the west wall there is a majestic figure of Christ which was found buried a short distance from its present position. Tradition has it that it was one of several figures dispersed about the county from Lichfield or Rheims cathedral. This seated statue of Christ, as he appeared to his doubting disciple Thomas, is thought to date from the thirteenth century.
Beneath the vestry is a vault containing remains of sixteen members of the Fitzherbert family (ancestors of the present Lord Stafford who lives in Swynnerton Park across the lane from the church).