The present building by George Truefitt opened in 1880 a little to the east of the original site, on the corner of Park Grove. In the same year St.John's became a separate parish.

St.John's started life as a chapel of ease for the parish church, serving the fast growing New Bromley district.

Initially served by St.Mary's in College Road (then Plaistow Lane), the huge population growth in this area soon warranted its own chapel and in 1872 an iron church, transported from the Isle of Wight was opened in Park Road.