The site and land for the churchyard was given by the Powis family. Christ Church stands on Maes Gwastad adjoining Powis Castle Park. It is often thought that Christ Church was built by the Earl of Powis as his own private chapel, but it was in fact paid for by public subscription and owned by The Church of Wales.
Completed in 1844, this Norman style church was designed by Thomas Penson (1790-1859), who was the County Surveyor for Montgomeryshire. He was responsible for building many bridges and public buildings in the area, such as the old National School in Welshpool and the Llanfyllin Workhouse. Christ Church was one of many churches that he designed. Two other local ‘Penson’ churches are St Agatha’s Church in Llanymynech and St David’s Church in Newtown.
Christ Church is constructed from Welshpool granite in a Norman revival style. The interior is ‘of a grand Romanesque kind’. Christ Church is noted for the extensive use of terracotta on the arcades for internal decoration, and the vaulted roof in the Apse. It is thought to be the earliest example of using terracotta in this way in the country, hence its Grade II* listing.