The church was built 1873–74 on land donated by Earl Spencer, and the foundation stone was laid by HRH Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein on 22 April 1873.

[citation needed] The building was designed by George E. Street, working with William Morris and Edward Burne-Jones.

Most of the cartoons (original drawings) for the windows were created for buildings elsewhere (seven were taken from designs drawn in 1874 for a church in Calcutta).

The windows pre-dating 1896 would have been designed (i.e. colour of glass, painted detail) by William Morris,.

Police caught the arsonist at two o'clock one morning moments after he ignited oil in the boiler room.