Prior to 1732 Smethwick was in the parish of St Peter, Harborne and the churchgoers of Smethwick had to walk the three miles to Harborne along what we now know as the Bearwood and Lordswood Roads.

The Old Chapel was the first church in Smethwick and arose from a trust created by Miss Dorothy Parks, and although she died in 1723 she endowed sufficient funds to enable the building of the church to proceed.

The building of the church was completed in 1732 and it was consecrated as a chapelry to St Peter, Harborne. Only baptisms and burials were permitted until 1842 when the church became a district chapelry although a few of marriages did take place prior to this date.

The church has no designated name. It was originally known as Parke�s Chapel or Smethwick Chapel. When Holy Trinity was built in 1837 it became known as the Old Chapel and finally Smethwick Old Church the name by which it is known to day.

A transcription of the Monumental Inscriptions of Smethwick Old Church has been published by the Birmingham & Midland SGH.