The church of ST. PETER and ST. PAUL is a small structure consisting of a chancel with a north vestry and an aisleless nave with a north porch and a small bell-cot over the west end. It was built in 1863, and is of very plain 13th-century design. The old Saxon church stood a few feet to the south of the present one, and has been completely destroyed. The only thing remaining is the font, which is re-used in the new church. It is of 15th-century date and octagonal form, with a moulded octagonal stem and a panelled bowl. The bell-cot contains one modern bell.

The plate consists of a silver chalice and paten cover of 1628; a paten of Sheffield plate and a glass flagon with plated mount.

The first book of the registers contains baptisms from 1686 and marriages and burials from 1687, baptisms and burials running to 1790, marriages to 1753. This book contains notes of affidavits of burials in woollen. The second book contains baptisms and burials from 1791 to 1812, and the third marriages with banns, the printed form, from 1754 to 1812. There is also a book of churchwardens' accounts from 1754 to the present day.

The church of Shalden was given by William Mauduit, the chamberlain, to the prior and convent of Southwick between 1147 and 1153. The grant was confirmed by Robert Mauduit, Pope Eugenius III, and by Pope Urban III in 1185. Thomas Mauduit claimed a presentation in 1223, but the suit apparently went against him, and the advowson remained in the possession of the priory till the Dissolution; it then passed to the Crown, in which it has since been vested.

The original church was small and sat approximately 30 and was of Saxon origin, meaning it had existed on the site just south of the present church since before the conquest in 1066. Some relics include a tapestry fragment from 1665, the 15th century font and the Jacobean Altar table which came from the original church.  

The organ was installed in 1877. Stained glass includes St. Peter and St. Paul, along with the four evangelists; Matthew, Mark, Luke & John. Christ teaching in the Temple and the Annunciation are featured. They were manufactured by Hardman of Birmingham and a gift of Rev. W. Crawford and his wife in 1871-78.

The rebuilding of the church was largely the gift of John Wood of Thedden Grange and cost £1,098 in 1865. His wealth came from Northern textile mills and he was a reformer for lower hours of work especially for children in his mills. The Ten Hours Act was partly his responsibility. John Wood and family members have prominent graves in the churchyard. All graves have been mapped and recorded in the churchyard.

The millennium gate was constructed in 2000 to form a new entrance to the churchyard. 

The 1967 edition of Pevsner contains the following entry:

SHALDEN

• Church: 1865 by J. Colson (architect of Winchester Cathedral from 1858). Flint. Nave and lower chancel. Open bell-turret. Plate tracery. The chancel arch with stiff leaf capitals. - FONT. Octagonal, Perp, with quatrefoils.

The 1723 edition of Liber Valorum & Decimarum contains the following entry:

• Shalden, Rectory value of £9 15s 10p in the Kings Books, Yearly tenths are 19s 7p within the Deanery of Alton in the Archdeaconry of Winton (sic., which is now known as Winchester Diocese), Alton (now Parish of the Resurrection) paid £1 10s in the same.

The 1535 Valor Ecclesiasticus gives a value of the parish of £257 4s 4d according to the records held in the Church.