According to Don Barter in his book 'Surviving on the Headland', construction of the first Church of England church in Bay de Verde began in 1821. However, when Oliver Rouse arrived in August of 1847, it was in such poor condition that he immediately set about putting the wheels in motion to begin building a new church. The second St. Barnabas Church was located some distance to the east of the old one in the general area of where the Anglican Church is today on Church Hill. It was completed in 1856 and consecrated by Bishop Field on November 25, 1857.
In 1886, construction began on the third St. Barnabas Church under the tenure of Reverend William How. It was located just to the east of the old existing church on a piece of land purchased from Edward Cotter. Although some wages were paid, most of the work on the church was done free labor by the parishioners. Reverend How left in 1890 and the task of completing the new church was left to his successor Reverend Frank Smart. The new St. Barnabas Church was consecrated by Bishop Jones on May 12, 1891.
