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With thanks to Garth Collard for providing the information on which this webpage is based.
The first church
Whilst it is probable that a wooden Saxon church existed on the site of the present church, this is only speculative. We can say for certain, however, that in the 11th and 12th centuries there was a Norman Church, built of clunch and rubble intermixed with Roman tiles. It had a long, narrow nave, a small chancel with a rounded end and a high pitched roof. Some parts of this Norman work survives in the present church: for example, there is an exterior arch near the south porch - seen as a half arch in the buttress by the tower
[photo 1]. The second pillar by the south aisle (at the west end) is also of Norman origin, as is the moulding on the inner part of the west doorway, and the three round clerestory windows [photo 2].
The second church
An almost new church was begun around 1308, built in the Early English and Decorated styles and made of flint, Roman tiles and ashlar. The nave was reduced in length, the south aisle was widened and the outer wall raised in height. The north wall of the old nave was demolished and a new north aisle was added to the Church. The chancel arch was enlarged by four feet, giving it its present lop-sided appearance, and a decorated window was put in the then northern outer wall overlooking the vestry [photo 3]. 
The third church
In was in the 15th century, however, that our present Perpendicular Church was designed. All the perpendicular features evident today date from this period – including the large windows in the aisles and the nave (not the glass), and the two porches, with the remains of carvings like the beautiful heads of the king and queen on the south porch [photos 4 and 5].
The gargoyles were also added at this time [photo 6].
The Paris Chapel was built as an extension to the south aisle and linked to the chancel by two arches. The original tombs and brasses of the Parys (Paris) family (Lords of the Manor) were here – the 1425 brass on Nicholas Paris still remains. The vestry was also built then, and the old window on the outer wall of the former church became an inside window. There are two low exterior windows in the outer vestry walls, one on the east side and one on the north, which are believed to be leper windows [photo 7].
The last major structural change came in the later 16th century when the newly important Protestant family, the Millicents of Barham, extended the northern aisle to build their family chapel. An external door provided access and the date 1587 was carved on the lintel. They erected a family monument on the eastern wall in the late 17th century; this is now obscured by the organ (see below).
At that time there were no seats or pews except for the stalls in the chancel. The walls were coloured and there was a wall painting above the Chancel arch depicting Doom and Salvation, with St. Peter shown in combat with the devil for the salvation of souls. There was a gilded and painted rood screen, a platform and a crucifix by the Chancel arch.
Beneath the chancel arch is a large black stone monument to Sir Philip Parys who died in 1558 and was a loyal supporter of Queen Mary. He died a Roman Catholic and the inscription “I pray God for mercy to their soules ” was chiselled out by William Dowsing when he visited Linton in 1644 to enforce the 1643 Parliamentary Ordinance against images, inscriptions and idolatry.
The church tower had a spire, which is shown on the 1600 manorial map of Linton made by the Millicent family. It collapsed and fell through the nave roof in a violent storm in November 1703, however, and was rebuilt as a small bell tower which was removed by 1900. On the outside of the church you can see some of the consecration crosses cut into the clunch which were made when this third church was finished [photo 8].
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