The Chancel and W tower are substantially 12thc., but the remainder, including a 14thc. S aisle, has been rebuilt. There is a plain round-headed window in the tower and Romanesque sculpture is found on the font, the blocked N doorway of the nave, the chancel arch, responds in the chancel and at the W end of the nave, and on a blind arcade on the interior E and S chancel walls, the last very heavily reconstructed. The church is of local red sandstone.

Stanlei had two priests at the time of Domesday . The church at Stonleya was granted to the Augustinian canons of Kenilworth by Henry I (Abstract) with lands from his own lands, at the request of Thurstan, Archbishop of York (ob. 1140), and confirmed by Roger de Clinton, bishop of Chester (1198-1202).

The N doorway is heavily eroded.

The light red stone is thought to be from a quarry on nearby Motslow Hill (?source).

The font was found in the farmyard of Maxtoke Priory and moved to Stoneleighc.1865 (Houghton). This Augustinian Priory was founded mid. 14thc. hence the font must have had an earlier provenance.

Houghton suggests that the figures' large heads and protruding eyes with strongly marked pupils may be compared with pre-conquest MSS of 10thc. He also interprets/deciphers the figures as: 1. St Peter, 2. St Andres, 3. St Matthew, 4. St Bartholomew, 5. St Thomas, 6. St James (ma or mi?), 7. St Jude, 8. St Phillips, 9. St Simon, 10. St James (ma or mi), St John, 12. St Paul. Made of grey limestone, damaged and worn.