There has been a church on the elevated position in Church Lane since the time of the Knights Hospitaller in the 12th century. The current building was constructed in 1835 following a disastrous fire which destroyed the preceding wooden building. All that was left, following the fire, were monuments and effigies dating back to the times of Henry VIII. These are now preserved in the Lady Chapel . The present construction was built by Thomas Winter a Nottingham builder. The chancel is surprisingly long for its date. There are massive original tie beam roofs in the nave and chancel, which are not ceiled (overlaying the inner roof of a building), as so usual at this time

The tower clock is a very rare example as it has four faces. It originated from Nottingham Town Hall and was presented to the church in 1896.

Monuments in Old Dalby church

At the dissolution of the monasteries, Henry VIII sold the Old Dalby estate, (Preceptory of the Knights Hospitaller of St. John of Jerusalem), for £1,287 to Andrew Noel (died 1562), of Hilcote, Staffordshire. The estate then consisted of the church, 30 cottages, 1,000 acres of land, 1,000 acres of pasture, 400 acres of meadow, 300 acres of woods, and a windmill.

Monuments to the Noel family were grouped behind the altar during the 1894 restoration. An effigy of Andrew Noel (died 1562), together with those of his two wives, Dorothy (died 1548) and Elizabeth, is on the North side behind the altar. His son Andrew Noel II and his wife have an alabaster memorial on the South side. Andrew Noel II moved to Brooke House in Rutland and sold Old Dalby to the Duke of Buckingham.

'The history of St John the Baptist Church' by David Revill is available from the Post Office or the vicarage for £2.