Waltham St Lawrence is a small village in wooded farmland 4 miles SW of Maidenhead and 8 miles NE of Reading. The church stands in the centre of the village, and comprises a two-bay 12thc. aisled nave extended to the E by two Dec bays, and a W tower,and a chancel with N and S chapels all c.1300 or later. The nave has a S porch, and the N chapel a modern N vestry. Romanesque sculpture is found in the 12thc nave arcade capitals.

Waltham St Lawrence, White Waltham and Shottesbrooke together made up the early Anglo-Saxon royal estate of Wealdham. The three were separate manors by 1007. Waltham St Lawrence belonged to Queen Edith in the Confessor's time, and by 1086 it had become part of the royal demesne. Subsequently it followed the descent of Wargrave.

The advowson of the church was held by Geoffrey de Mandeville, who granted it to Hurley priory on its foundation c1086. It remained with the priory until its Dissolution.

Similar fluted imposts are found on the S arcade at Enborne.