In the mid-19th century, due to the constant growth of Belfast and the local area, the Church of Ireland began holding services in a coach-house, and in 1863, in what is now Strandtown Primary School.

[1] William Butterfield was commissioned to design a new church for the ever-growing parish, and groundbreaking for the new building took place in May 1876.

It was consecrated by the Bishop of Down, Connor and Dromore, Robert Knox, on 22 August 1878, after which it became a separate parish church from Holywood, with Thomas Hamilton as the first rector.

[4] The new ring, in the key of F#, was installed in 1955 in a new cast iron frame, and were dedicated on 23 April 1955 by the Reverend William Kerr, Bishop of Down and Dromore.

[4][5] The church is best known in popular culture for its connection to C. S. Lewis (1898–1963), whose grandfather, Thomas Hamilton, was the first rector of the parish.