The Cattons, High and Low, lie a mile south of Stamford Bridge, and almost a mile apart. The church is close to the Derwent. It has an aisled nave with a tower in the westernmost bay of the S aisle, a S porch, a N transept, and a chancel by Street that stands high above the nave. There is a plan in faculty papers at the Borthwick Institute, Fac. 1908/44.

The transept survives from what was a cruciform Romanesque church. A Romanesque piscina is reset in the N wall of the vestry.

Before the Conquest, the large manor of 40 carucates and considerable socage had belonged to Earl Harold. In 1087 it was held by William de Percy from Earl Hugh of Chester; the value had fallen from £28 to 100s. There were 32 villeins, 6 socmen and 17 ploughs, and a mill of 10s annual value. The area included land in Catton, Stamford Bridge, Kexby, Full Sutton, Wilberfoss, Cherry Burton, Gate Helmsley and Newton-upon-Derwent (VCH III, 219; VCH II, 154).

Lawton (1842, 332) says that the church at Catton was an ancient Rectory, under the patronage of the Percys before it went to the Dukes of Somerset.

Arch to N Transept: the keeled lenticular drop in the split between the waterleaves is unusual, as is the shaping of the gap between the two leaves; it is possible that this area was exaggerated in the retooling that is so evident over the plain surface of the leaves. (Fieldworker)