In 1862 the officials of the Bible Christian Society worshipping in the Armstrong St Chapel, Soldiers Hill felt it their duty to extend their sphere of labour and erect a chapel in some part where religious services were most needed.
They decided that the most suitable location would be on the old Sebastopol road, now called Skipton St. A piece of land was chosen and applied for and Mr John Cornish having offered a wooden house 24 x 20 feet with a skillion attached was moved to this site.
The first service of worship was 7th Sept 1862.
On the Wesleyan Methodist Plan of 1859 for the Ballarat and Creswick Circuit there were 33 Wesleyan Places of worship.
In the decade 1858 –1868 there were 18 churches erected- 10 Wesleyan, 4 Bible Christian and 4 Primitive Methodist.
A day school was conducted in the original building.
It was decided that a more substantial building should be erected and in Aug 1865 the foundation stone was laid.
The Ballarat Star reported..The church is to be built of Bluestone and initially 46 feet x 36 feet wide. The style of architecture is Anglo-Norman and the cut work in front is formed of tooled margin drafts. Opening celebrations were held in March 1866.
The Ballarat Star of 28th March 1866 reported ..the new church is a handsome building of bluestone from a design by Mr Caselli. The present building is only portion of the full design, the rear part being temporarily closed with wood, which will be removed when the requirements of the congregation render an extension necessary.
The cost was 1000 pounds and the seats additional 140 pounds. Shortly afterwards a new parsonage was built adjacent to the church.
In 1934 the bluestone vestry and kindergarten were added. These rooms replaced the wooden vestry at the rear of the church.
Methodist Union in 1901 saw the Darling St Primitive Methodist Church, a few blocks away, close and unite with Skipton St.
Initially the pulpit was on the north wall and the choir stalls were in the middle.
The cry room was added in the 1950’s.
The Conn Classic Electronic Pipe organ was installed in 1971.