The earliest part of the church is the 13thc. tower, on the N of the originally 12thc. nave. The nave was altered and lengthened in 1321 when the N and S aisles were added. The aisles run the full length of the church. In the early 15thc. a N chancel was added. Much of the outer walling was rebuilt during the restoration by Hayward in 1861 (Pevsner 1989, 501). The font is the only feature with Romanesque sculpture. Pevsner records a very worn 12thc. tapered tomb slab with an incised cross.

Clarke describes the Inwardleigh font as having being 'ruthlessly scraped' in 1861 - presumably referring to the recutting. The description is drawn from an earlier account by the Rev. F. Nesbitt (Clarke 1920,328: no source given).

Other fonts in Devon churches which take the form of a triple or multi-scallop capital are found in Ashford, Berrrynarbor, Burrington, Christow, Halberton, Horwood, Merton, Molland, Netherexe, Stoke St Nectan, Weare Giffard and West Down (Clarke 1920, 327–35).