The church of St. Mary’s is in the center of this quaint village on the county border with Leicestershire. It is primarily a 13^th structure which was rebuilt in the 14^th c. and consists of a W tower, nave with N and S aisles, and a chancel with N and S chapels. In 1851 William Butterfield undertook an extensive renovation of the entire church. The earliest part of the church, dating to the late 12^th c., is the W bay of N arcade in the nave.

Ashwell is listed in Domesday Book under the land of Earl Hugh, but there is no mention of a church or priest. The earliest evidence for the church seems to be the 12^th c. sculptural remains of the N aisle.

Though piers 1 and 2 look similar at first glance, the shaft of pier 2 is much shorter and thicker than that of pier 1 with its thinner, classic 13^th c. shaft; this argues for the earlier dating of pier 2 as part of bay 3 and the W respond.