The Church of St George was built on land donated by the town's Franciscan Convent, with funding raised by the rector, Rev John Mitchell.

[4] The nearby Franciscan Convent purchased a plot of land adjacent to their own in 1858, which they donated for the purpose of building a new church, rectory and school.

[6] The first stone was laid on 19 August 1858, by the Right Rev William Clifford, the Bishop of Clifton, and building commenced to a design by Benjamin Bucknall.

[8] The rectory was completed shortly after the church, while the school was opened in 1870; lessons had previously been given in a room at the back of St George's Chapel.

[9] Work continued on the tower, and further funds were collected in 1875;[10] the following year, one of the builders, George Toller, died after falling around 100 feet (30 m) from the scaffolding.

[12] A stained glass window was added to the west side of the church in June 1928, as a memorial to Canon James O'Shaughnessy who had served as rector of St George's from 1911 until his death in 1927.

[14] A second Catholic church was opened in Taunton in 1959; dedicated to Saint Teresa of Lisieux, it is located in the Priorswood area to the north of the town.