Middleton lies on the A170, mid-way between Thirsk and Scarborough and to the west of Pickering. The church's earliest feature comprises the lower sections of the tower, which were constructed during the 11thc. The Romanesque parts of the building are the N and S arcades, though they were not constructed at the same time. The aisles, upper section of the tower and the chancel would seem to have been added during the 13thc, with a clerestory probably during the 15thc. A fairly comprehensive restoration was carried out by Hodgson Fowler in 1886.

There is no mention of a church in Domesday Book. In 1086 five carucates at Middleton were soke of the manor of Pickering, held by the king; before the Conquest the manor had been held by Morcar. Middleton subsequently formed part of the honour of Rosedale; the first lord of the fee was Turgis Brundos, or Turgis de Rosedale, who died before 1130-31. He was succeeded by his son, William, who founded Rosedale Priory. By 1166-67, Middleton and Aislaby were held by Baldwin Buelot, and by the end of the 12thc the fee was in the hands of the Stutevills.

The advowson of Middleton Church remained with the manor until 1455.

The well-constructed Saxon tower, which is clearly pre-Conquest, together with the existence of several substantial pieces of Anglo-Danish crosses, suggest that this was a relatively important site before the 12thc. Its development after this date, though, seems rather piecemeal.

The form of the capitals used in the N arcade is a typical Romanesque type and would seem to suggest that this was constructed c.1140. The S arcade is clearly later, though just about Romanesque. The carving, particularly in the E respond, shows an awareness of a broader range of decorative motifs, such as those also found at Byland Abbey, and this arcade would seem to date from c.1200. The small head, incorporated into the second bay of the S arcade may well have originated from the exterior nave wall. There are some plain blocks inside at the junction of the S aisle wall and the nave, which may also have been part of some form of corbel table, moved inside during the 19thc restoration. The form of the animal head, which resembles a horse, may have been carved at the same time as the S arcade.