This small church, restored in 1951, has a single nave with exposed herringbone masonry in its E, W and N walls. Two blocked arches in the N wall indicate that an aisle has been added and subsequently demolished. The S porch bears a datestone, 1622. The Early English chancel, entered through an 11thc. arch with large imposts, appears to be very restored. There is a modern vestry on its S side. The font was given by St Olave's, Chichester in 1956.

Elsted was held by Bishop Osbern of Exeter in 1086, and had a church. Osbern the cleric held half a hide; Ralph the priest 1 hide 'which belongs to the church'.

The font was given to Elsted church by St Olave's, Chichester in 1956 (Fleming 1957, 10). At St Olave's it had stood 'partly on the gravestone of Richard Young'. An archive photograph of 1955 shows it in situ (Historic England Archive Red Boxes). St Olave's church is now a bookshop.

The font, of which only a fragment survives, would have dated from the late 12th or early 13thc.