The Church was originally the gate house to the much larger Merevale Abbey which was founded in 1148 and was a Cistercestan Abbey the abbey was destroyed in the Dissolution of the Monasteries by Henry VIII some traces of it remain today, The Gatehouse survived and became a Church of England parish church
An abbey was built in Merevale in 1148 by Robert de Ferrers, 2nd Earl of Derby. It was a relatively small abbey with only around 10 monks. The abbey was dissolved in October 1538, during the reign of Henry VIII and fell into ruin, but traces of it remain to the present day. One of the most significant parts to have survived is the gate chapel, now used as the parish church. The church is significant for its Cistercian stained glass, including its Jesse window (one of the most important in the British Isles), and for being the only Cistercian gate chapel to be open for regular weekly services throughout the year.
In 1485 on August 20th and 21st Henry Tudor, Duke of Richmond, stayed at Merevale abbey before the battle of bosworth and his army camped nearby.
The church and nearby hall both remain under the ownership of the Dugdale family, who also own Blythe Hall.
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