Celebration of the Roman Catholic faith continued in East Hendred after the Reformation. Local Catholics used the 13th Century Chapel in Hendred House until St Mary's Church was consecrated on August 17th 1865. The Presbytery was built at the same time. A bridge (rebuilt in 1965) connected the two buildings, probably because of the legal ban on Catholic clerical dress in public places.

The architect was C.A.Buckler and the style is early 14th century with Kentish tracery. There is a bell turret with a single bell.

Major changes were made to the interior of the church in 1983. Other recent changes are the addition of carpet, electric light, loudspeakers and underfloor heating, and some of the windows, and the rearranging of the sanctuary furniture.

Most of the windows are symbolic of those by whom, or in whose memory, they were given. The west window is the largest, showing Jesus as The Good Shepherd and given in memory of Thomas More Eyston who died of wounds in 1940. Below is a brass memorial to Charles John Eyston. the Church's founder. He is shown kneeling holding a replica of the Church.

Underneath the South-West window is a plaque commemorating Captain George Eyston, who held the world land speed record in 1938.