Ickleton is a village in the South Cambridgeshire district, close to the Essex border, and 9miles S of Cambridge. Architecturally, Ickleton is one of the most important Romanesque churches in the county. It was originally a cruciform church of c.1100 with aisleless chancel, aisled four-bay nave with clerestory, transepts and a central tower. The S aisle was widened (14thc.) to the width of the transept, and a chapel added to the N side of the chancel (15thc.), which was later removed although its entrance arch remains. The N transept has since been shortened to the width of the aisle. The original nave clerestory was very low, with windows above the apex of each arch. When the aisle roofs were raised, new windows were added at a higher level, but five rather than four, so that the clerestory is out of phase with the arcade. The chancel was rebuilt in the later Middle Ages, and again in 1882. The upper storey of the tower is 14-15thc., and it has a lead broach spire and a Sanctus bell. The church is constructed of flint and Sarsen pebbles. Restoration work following a deliberate fire in 1979 resulted in the discovery of a celebrated cycle of wall paintings from the 2nd half of the 12thc. decorates the N wall of the nave. Sculpture described here comprises the nave arcades, W crossing arch and W doorway.

The manor (19½ hides) was held by Count Eustace of Boulogne in 1086, his father having received it from William I. A further half hide was held by Durand from Hardwin de Scales. The land thereafter became part of the Honour of Boulogne. Eustace's daughter married King Stephen, who controlled the Honour until Maud's death. After Stephen's son William's death in 1159 it passed to Henry II.

The Priory, founded for Benedictine nuns in the mid-12thc., probably received the church as part of its foundation endowment. According to VCH it was never the priory church, but the vicar was presented by the Prioress.

The capital forms in the nave arcade and tower arches are of the form normally known as tectonic; i.e. they have no clearly defined shields but are still closer to the ci=ushion form than the block. Similar capitals are seen at Ely Cathedral in the nave arcade.