In the year 1864, the map of Cheltenham  was very different from today, and visitors to the town travelling along the London Road  would have been in near countryside as they came through what is now Sixways. Land from here into the town was part of the Parish of St. Mary's, As the population grew, it was felt desirable to build a new church to serve the rapidly growing new suburb, and a subscription committee was set up to collect revenue and carry out the project. Land was offered by Charles Cooke Higgs adjacent to his house (Langton House), he also offered to build the church at his own expense (it cost £7,000!). Mr Middleton was commissioned as architect and plans drawn up, with work starting on March 13th 1866 . The church opened for worship on 5th June 1871 , although the building was not consecrated until 1885 -a year after its benefactor had passed away.

Tragedy struck the church in 1970, on the night of the general election, when a freak storm struck the area, and a bolt of lightning struck the chancel causing a major fire, which burnt out the roof of the church, and destroyed the organ - although mercifully the structure of the church was comparatively little damaged.