There was a chapel in Carlton in the Mediaeval period, and the village was given its own parish by 1611. In 1808, its church was described as "a small modern-built structure", a simple rectangular building with a south porch and west bell gable. It was renovated from 1878 to 1879, with north and south transepts being added, but it burned down in 1881.[1] George Sanger, the local vicar, was charged with arson, but was acquitted as there was no firm evidence against him.[2] Occasional services were held within the walls of the ruined church, which was not rebuilt until 1896.[1] The new building was designed by Temple Moore, and was in the Arts and Crafts style.[2] It was Grade II listed in 1966.[3]
The church is built of sandstone, the main roof is tiled, and on the aisles and porch are stone flags. It consists of a nave with a clerestory, north and south aisles, a south porch, a chancel, and a west tower embraced by the aisles. The tower has two stages, the lower stage tall, with a staircase on the northeast in a buttress-like projection, square-headed windows, a clock face, paired bell openings with cusped ogee heads, a cornice and an embattledparapet. The windows on the north and south sides are very small, but the east window is large.[3][4]
