St Nectan's is a signifcant church with an impressively high tower, the tallest in North Devon. The church is essentially 14thc. and comprises chancel with N and S chapels, an aisled nave with S and N transepts, a W tower and N and S porches. The chancel was lengthened in 1848 as part of the restoration carried out by D. Mackintosh, Exeter (Pevsner (1952) 1989, 472). The font is the only Romanesque feature.

Countess Gytha of Wessex held Hartland prior to the Conquest. At the time of DS it was held directly by King William.

The British Library holds a drawing of the font made in 1821 by John Buckler (Additional MS 36361).