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St. Mary's Church in Ardley dates from at least 1074. The original church was demolished and completely rebuilt, but both the chancel and the bell tower of the present building contain small amounts of re-used Norman stonework.

The present Early English Gothic chancel was built late in the 12th or early in the 13th century. The tower has a saddleback roof and may have been built in the 13th or 14th century. The present nave was built in 1793 and has a west gallery that was added in 1834.

St. Mar's Church was largely rebuilt at the end of the 18th century. It is a stone building consisting of chancel, nave, and western tower. The saddle-backed tower has two stages and dates from the 14th century, though the tower arch appears to be earlier.

The present chancel arch and piscina are part of a 13th-century church, but the chancel windows are 14th century. The south wall has a double piscina and a low side window, now walled up, which was formerly covered by a shutter. The elaborate 14thcentury recess on the north wall may have been a benefactor's tomb and was later used as an Easter sepulchre; it has a shield on each cusp, one bearing two bends, perhaps for Oseney Abbey, which had part of the tithes. 

A number of minor repairs were later carried out in the early 18th century but by 1791 the building was in urgent need of restoration. In 1792 the original nave with its two aisles and porch were pulled down and the present plain nave with five windows was erected under the direction of the 3rd Duchess of Marlborough.  In 1834 a western gallery was built for the inhabitants of Fewcot. In 1865 a further restoration was carried out. A sum of £600 was spent. A new roof was put on the chancel; a new altar, seats, and a heating system were installed; the floor was relaid and the step between the nave and chancel removed. The organ, once in an Oxford college chapel, was installed in 1874, and in 1888 the roof of the nave and the tower were repaired at a cost of £73.

Historical information about the St. Mary's Church is provided by British History Online. 'Parishes: Ardley', in A History of the County of Oxford: Volume 6, ed. Mary D Lobel (London, 1959), pp. 7-14. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/oxon/vol6/pp7-14 [accessed 12 January 2023].

St. Mary's Church is a Grade II* listed building. For more information about the listing see CHURCH OF ST MARY, Ardley - 1046881 | Historic England.

For more information about St. Mary's Church see Parishes: Ardley | British History Online (british-history.ac.uk).