The earliest mention of a church in Molesey appears in the Domesday Book. It appears on the holding of Odard Balastarius. Most likely the monks of Chertsey Abbey first planted it here for, wherever Benedictines controlled the land, the brethren brought the Cross. No details of the building have survived. It undoubtedly would have been of extremely elementary timber construction, of modest size. A more solid church of mortar and flint rubble was erected in the 12th century, and survived until the Victorian era. It was still a small edifice, of nave and chancel only, the whole about 52 feet long by 26 feet wide. By 1368, the fabric had fallen into such disrepair that, following a visitation by the Bishop, the Dean was instructed to hold an inquiry to find out who was responsible for its maintenance and to issue directions for its repair. The roof, at first probably thatched but later tiled, was crowned at the western end by a small weather-boarded tower surmounted by a splay-foot spire. On either side of the nave was a family pew, each a small room about ten feet square and entered only from the outside. That on the south side was built in 1712 for Mr Hezekiah Benson of Bridge House, and that on the north, which was divided in two, in 1760 for Captain John Clarke and Charles Carpenter. In each case permission was given to enclose part of the churchyard, and to be forever appropriated to their respective houses. In 1849, the building was described as 'a pretty rustic structure'. The church, being so small, could only seat some 135 people, and for many years was far too small for the population of the village. Although St Paul's had been opened in 1856, pressure on the accommodation continued. Agitations had been afoot since 1843 to rebuild the church, but all attempts had been frustrated by lack of funds and personal animosities. In 1863, a fire had damaged part of the church which forced the parochial authorities to act, and they decided on the demolition of the old church and the construction of a new one on the same site. The architect chosen to design the new church was Thomas Talbot Bury, Thomas Talbot Bury, a student of Augustus Pugin; he chose the Early English style, using Kentish rag stone. The nave and chancel were consecrated on 17 October 1865, a north aisle and tower and spire were added in 1867, and the south aisle in 1883. Over the years the original dedication of the old church had been lost and, when the new church was consecrated, the name of St. Mary was chosen. However, from documents preserved in the British Library and the Surrey Record Office, it is now clear that in Tudor times St Lawrence was the patron saint.