At present there is no evidence for any pre-Norman church at Grinton. However, it is likely that there was a Saxon church at this site for the following reasons:

• In 627 King Edwin converted to Christianity and was baptised by St. Paulinus at the new wooden church of St Peter at York - now York Minster. Paulinus is said to have baptised thousands of Northumbrians in the River Swale at nearby Catterick.
  (source: History of the Kingdom of Northumbria - Edwin look for Edwin about half the way down the page.) ‡kn

• For very many years Grinton was the first place above Richmond where the River Swale could be forded.

• Since Roman times Grinton had been the centre of the prosperous lead mining industry and its hub for the transport of the metal out of the Dale.