The church was constructed by the Pulteney family, who used it to replace the medieval parish church of St Mary's, Bathwick, known even in Georgian times as Bathwick Old Church. The churchyard is now part of Smallcombe Cemetery.
The Pulteney family constructed a new church to take the place of the old medieval parish church of St Mary's, Bathwick, which was already called Bathwick Old Church during Georgian times. Today, the site where the old church stood has become part of Smallcombe Cemetery.