Of the substantial Norman church on this site, only the crypt survives. A fire in 1694 necessitated the rebuilding of tower, nave, aisles and transepts, all designed by Sir William Wilson and built by Smith of Warwick. The 14thc. chancel and 15thc. Beauchamp chapel were however retained.

The crypt has a nave of five bays supported by a central line of four piers. Of these the three westernmost are 12thc., while the eastern pier belongs to the 14thc. lengthening of the crypt under the new chancel. The piers support quadripartite vaults with chamfered ribs. The transverse ribs fall onto responds on the N, S and W walls, while the diagonal ribs terminate at corbels. At the W end of the nave there is a N transept, one bay deep from N to S, but two bays wide. Its double entrance arch is supported by a massive pier faced by broad responds to E and W. An arch at the N end of the W bay of the transept marks the entrance to the stair leading up to the church. Carving is confined to the pier and respond capitals and corbels, and since these are all vault supports they are described in section IV.4 (Vaulting) below.

The original church was founded by Roger de Newburgh, Earl of Warwick, in 1123. The crypt, except for the easternmost bay, is all that remains of the original building. The four-centred arches were inserted when Thomas Beauchamp I, Earl of Warwick, died in 1369, while the new choir above was being built. He was buried in the choir floor immediately above these arches.

The 14thc. octagonal column marks the position of the original E. wall. N. of the W. end is a wing of the same date as the rest of the crypt, which must have extended even further to the N., but was shortened when the vestry above was built. The crypt is constructed in the grey-buff local sandstone. The red sandstone bands in columns 1, 2 and 3 were probably obtained a little further to the N., possibly Kenilworth 5 km. away (author's opinion).