Christ Church was built in 1887 in the Early English style by Samuel Cawston, developer of the Bromley Hill estate.

Disapproving of travel on Sundays, a church on his new estate saved the journey to the parish church in the centre of town.

The architect, W. A. Williams, a local man, had already built many of the houses in the surrounding roads.

Originally a chapel of ease to the parish church and later owned by St Mary's, Plaistow, it only became a parish church in its own right in 1923.

The spire was not central as an extension was planned but never carried out.