As the new town of Bexhill grew, a new church was needed so, first, in June 1891, the Parish of St Barnabas was created from the old St Peter’s Parish.
In 1888, the, then, incumbent of St. Peter’s, Canon Clarke, donated £6,000 toward the building of a a new church, between the railway and the sea., while the 7th Earl De La Warr gave an acre of ground at the corner of Sea Road and Cantelupe Road.
The foundation stone was laid in July 1890 by Mrs Clarke, the wife of Canon Clarke, and the church consecrated in July 1891 by Bishop Richard Durnford. In 1909, the church was enlarged by the addition of a south aisle.
The first Vicar was Rev. Edward E Mortlock who remained until 1926.
St Barnabas Parish was, later, divided up by the formation of St Andrew’s Church (1900) and St Augustine’s Church (1934).
Between 1940 and 1943 St Barnabas had no Vicar and the Rector of St Peter’s assumed responsibility until Rev D H Pilkington was appointed in 1943.