The present cathedral with its imposing white twin towers was built on a fossilized reef, in 1845, and is now in its third incarnation, as earthquakes in 1683 and in 1745 destroyed the previous structures.

[2][3] Adjoining the old church, which was damaged, a new cathedral was planned and construction began on October 9, 1845, after Sir Charles Augustus FitzRoy, Governor of Antigua laid the foundation stone.

[8] The cathedral was designed by the architect Thomas Fuller of Bath, England, and raised at the highest point in St. John's town.

[7] A unique feature in the cathedral is the pitch pine interior structure and cladding to provide lateral reinforcing for earthquake or hurricane loads.

The cathedral has two 70 feet (21 m) high towers built in baroque style of architecture with cupolas topping them, described as "slightly awkward,"[6] and are painted in an aluminum color.

This design had invited derision when built as representing "a pagan temple with two dumpy pepper pot towers", while now it is extolled as the best cathedral in the West Indian province.

[6] It is said that these statues were confiscated by the British navy from the French ship Temple in Martinique waters in 1756 during the Seven Years' War and moved to this church.