Imagine a secluded, tranquil hamlet in the dale of Dalden, (Dalden - Homestead in the Valley) circa 700 AD, with a community of Saxon settlers hunting, fishing and farming, following a simple, pagan llfestyle. At this time, Christianity was spreading throughout Europe and Saxons were converting to this new religion. One can see it now; a wandering priest spreading the word discovers this idyllic spot and begins to preach the gospel to this new community. As God's word is accepted, a crude Wattle and Daub church is built, and the villagers begin to hold regular services with the priest. The godfearing life of this new parish is sometimes interrupted by marauding Vikings who pillage and steal what they can, some however, settle in the area and In time integrate with the locals. Undaunted, the Saxons rebuild and continue to eke out a living as best they can, hearing from the priest great scholarly tales about Benedict Biscop, St.Cuthbert and St.Aiden in nearby Monkwearmouth.
It is not known whether the Saxon community built a stone church similar to Escomb's, nearby In West Durham but we do know that the village begins to appear in records around 930 AD. It is therefore feasible that a basic stone building could have existed before the Norman Conquest in 1066. (Built into the south wall, west of the porch is a Saxon grave headstone, possibly from the original building?)
With the arrival of William the Conqueror, comes an explosion of building throughout England. Castles, monasteries and churches are erected in all parts of the new Kingdom, built by the superior skills of the Gauls. This new directive results in the building of a stone church between 1150 and 1175, just a few years after the magnificent new cathedral at Durham. We can speculate that the craftsmen who worked at Durham may have supervised the work at Dalton or even helped out in its design and construction. Prior Absalon and Helias Escolland, Lord of Dalton define and agree the boundaries of Dalton - Le - Dale in 1155 and written references about the church appear in 1157.
The community is now an establisbed Christian Parish and begins to develop and grow into the village we know today, 1000 years later.