Prolific ecclesiastical architect Sir Arthur Blomfield's simple Gothic Revival design forms a landmark on one of St Leonards-on-Sea's main roads, continues to serve a large area of the town (including the former parish of the now closed St Mary Magdalene's Church) and maintains a strong Anglo-Catholic tradition.

The seaside town of Hastings, founded in the 8th century, developed as an important trading hub, ecclesiastical centre and the chief Cinque Port by the Middle Ages.

[6] In that decade, builder and speculator James Burton bought land immediately to the west from the Eversfield baronets and founded a high-class new town, designed to his specifications.

[7][8] St Leonards-on-Sea, which took its name from one of the ancient churches of Hastings,[7] grew rapidly in size and popularity, rivalling its older neighbour by the mid-19th century.

[12][13] Countess Waldegrave was a local benefactor who paid for many improvements to the religious and social life in Hastings and St Leonards-on-Sea in the 19th century.

[15][16] Its site had been a wasteland which was home to hundreds of itinerant workers and poor people who lived in shacks;[17] they were displaced when the church was built, and many had to move to St Leonards-on-Sea, exacerbating the problem of a lack of accommodation for worship.

[23] Alexander Beresford Hope mp pc laid the foundation stone of the new building, which was built on derelict land adjoining the north end of the old church, on 6 November 1873—the feast day of Saint Leonard.

[23] Construction continued throughout 1874, when the Lady chapel, baptistery, nave walls and clerestory were erected, and in 1875 Vaughan decided to open the church for worship despite its incomplete state.

All the required money was raised by October 1884,[26] and the Bishop of Chichester The Right Reverend Richard Durnford conducted the consecration ceremony on 20 November 1884.

[27] Further structural additions were made during the rest of the 19th century: timber flooring and an alabaster altar were added in 1890 and 1891 respectively, and the long-awaited tower and spire were erected soon after a building fund was started in 1888.

[29] In the next decade, stained glass was installed in the clerestory windows, a new font was acquired and the church commemorated Fr Vaughan (who had died in 1895)[29] with a brass monument and a Calvary.

[30] The church was extended at the west end with an organ chamber in 1919–20,[2] although the original plans were more ambitious: a war memorial chapel, a new (and much grander) entrance and a baptistery were intended.

[28] Designs were drawn up by architect Temple Moore, but the cost was found to be too great and some money already raised was donated to a fund established to build a hospital in Hastings.

[32] Further improvements, which opened out the interior, added a new marble floor and wooden choir stalls, and defined the sanctuary more clearly, were carried out in 1933.

[14][33] The church was only slightly damaged during World War II despite frequent bombing raids on St Leonards-on-Sea, although services had to be held in the Lady chapel and later in the basement vestries.

[34] Structural defects were found after the war, though, especially in the roof; this required emergency repairs, partly covered by an anonymous donation.

[39] St Mary Magdalene's Church, which had opened nearby in 1858, was declared redundant by the Diocese of Chichester in 1980 and was sold to the Greek Orthodox community.

[14][19][23] Built mostly of rubble and sandstone with rock and stone dressings, its plan consists of a six-bay nave with arcades and a clerestory, chancel, aisles to the north and south sides (the north aisle being apsidal), transepts, Lady chapel, vestries below the body of the church (due to the slope of the land), a memorial chapel, an organ chamber, two porches, a tower and a stone spire.

[14] The east window alone features images of cherubim, the Holy Women, Apostles, Martyrs, Magi, Archangels, Archbishops and Doctors of the early Church, Prophets, soldier-saints, seraphim, hermits, monks and friars, all presented at the Adoration of the Heavenly Court.