Founded in 1883 in response to the rapid residential growth of this part of St Leonards-on-Sea, the "outstanding late Victorian church"[1] was completed and opened in 1885.

Architect James Brooks was towards the end of his career but still produced a successful, powerful Gothic Revival design, which was built by prolific local firm John Howell & Son—builders of several other churches in the area.

The church was declared redundant by the Diocese of Chichester in 2011; since 2010 it has been home to Sonrise Church—an independent Evangelical congregation.

St Leonards-on-Sea experienced continuous rapid growth after it was founded in 1828 by London-based builder and speculator James Burton.

[2] The seaside resort, immediately west of the ancient port of Hastings, had a 2⁄3-mile (1.1 km) esplanade with high-class buildings facing the English Channel,[3] but also extended a long way inland by the late 19th century as housing was built up the wooded valley which formed part of the land Burton bought in 1828.

Alex Brown and two other defendants began in June 2010[16] and concluded in September 2010 with the three men being jailed for four years each.

[1][12] It is an Early English Gothic Revival-style red-brick building with lancet windows which feature extensive plate tracery.

[12] Both the west and the east windows are composed of large groups of lancets (five and four respectively) with spandrels and hood moulds.

[1] Their shape—a continuation of the round piers combined with a cut-off pyramid shape—were described by Nikolaus Pevsner as "a true innovation".

[10] Fittings include an alabaster lectern and pulpit,[10] considered by English Heritage to be "the most impressive feature".

Together with the chancel screen, these fixtures are of pink and grey alabaster and have prominent dog-tooth mouldings and corbels.

[22] Sonrise Church was originally associated with the Christian Outreach Centre movement[note 1] and was founded on a small scale in St Leonards-on-Sea in September 2000.