Sutton St Nicholas and Sutton St Michael are adjoining villages in the Lugg valley, 4 miles N of Hereford. Sutton St Michael, to the W, has the remains of a deserted medieval village. Both villages have 12thc churches with sculpture. St Nicholas's consists of a 13thc chancel, a 12thc nave (see the N window) with a 2-bay S chapel, a N porch, and S vestry of 1899 that contains the S doorway, and a 13thc W tower. This once had a spire but it was taken down in the mid-18thc. The only Romanesque features described here are the chancel arch and the font.

Nigel the Physician had two holdings in Sutton in 1086. The first, of 2 hides, was held by Leofflaed in 1066, and was held by Nigel in demesne except for a mill that Hugh l’Asne held from him. The second, of 1 hide, was held by Spirites the Priest in 1066. Hugh l’Asne also held his own manor in Sutton, held by Leofflaed before the Conquest. This was assessed at 2 hides.

According to Duncumb, Sutton St Michael was the holding of Spirites the Priest; Nigel’s other holding became St Nicholas, and Hugh’s holding was largely situated in Marden. In the reign of Henry I, the manor that was to become St Nicholas was held by Alexander le Seculer, whose daughter and heiress Alice married Walter de Freene of Moccas. In the later 13thc a descendant, Hugh de Freene, gave lands to St Nicholas (Ecclia Sci Nichi de Sutton Freene) and the manor gained the name of Sutton Freene at that time.

Herefordshire SMR notes that the local Withington sandstone is difficult to work, presumably accounting for the rough shapeing of the bowl.