The Methodist Church has a long history in Richmond Hill, being a point on the Yonge Street circuit of the saddle-bag preacher as early as 1805. The early congregation met in a log settlement duty house, then in a new log schoolhouse, and for a period of time, shared space in the original Presbyterian Church built in 1821. By 1846, the congregation was able to construct its own place of worship, a frame Classical Revival style church that was located on the east side of Yonge Street, a little south of Centre Street.

After a fire destroyed the frame church in December of 1879, the congregation undertook to build the present church on a nearby site in 1880. In 1925, the Methodists, Congregationalists and Presbyterians entered into a union to be known as the United Church of Canada.

Richmond Hill United Church was designed in the High Victorian Gothic Revival style by Toronto architect Charles Walton, best known for his Yonge Street Arcade of 1883. The church was built by James Burns of Markdale, of white (buff coloured) brick supplied by local brickmaker William Powell. The building has a picturesque asymmetrical silhouette, and boasts the tallest steeple of all the historic churches in the old village core of Richmond Hill.

The traditional cruciform shape of the nave, chancel, transepts and apse is evident. Added to these interpenatrating elements are the two asymmetrical towers at the west front corners. The main tower at the south west corner is 3-tiered with buttresses, topped by a broached metal-clad spire ornamented with an iron finial and slim gable-roofed dormers with Gothic arched louvered openings and iron finials. The shorter 2-tiered tower at the northwest corner has a square base with buttreses, octagonal second level, and conical metal-clad roof ornamented with an iron finial. Both towers incorporate ornamental gables topped with iron finials. Additional louvered dormers are found on the main gable roof and hipped rood of the apse.

The projecting entrance porch, with side buttresses, angled parapet, and Gothic-arched opening, shelters the Gothic-arched main entrance, which incorporated a transom light with wooden tracery and stained glass, and segmentally-headed double-leaf doors constructed with diagonal, beaded tongue and groove flush panels. A secondary door on the south side of the main tower is similarly treated.

In keeping with the High Victorian Gothic Revival design, the church is richly decorated with stepped buttresses, projecting brick plinth, string courses, brick corbelling, brick voussoirs and hood moulds, painted pressed metal and limestone copings, limestone rosettes, and limestone window sills. The monochromatic brickwork is laid in common bond with beaded pointing. The generous window openings are typically Gothic-arched with moulded wooden frames, with the principal windows containing moulded wooden tracery and stained glass. A limestone datestone bearing the inscription "A.D. 1880" is located at the base of the main tower.

To the Glory of God, in memory of Joseph Allan Bales, 1896-1976. Margaret Jessie Bales, 1901-1990.

Left side: Peace I leave with you. To the Glory of God and in loving memory of Laura Marguerite Spanner. Centre: Behold I stand at the door and knock. To the Glory of God and in loving memory of: Jesse and Priscilla Law Grant and family and Abraham and Elizabeth Law. Right side: I know whom I have believed. To the Glory of God and in loving memory of Mabel Martha Walker

Suffer little children to come unto Me. Jean Mearns Hill. April 6th 1901 - August 9th 1977

Not my will, but Thine be done. Lloyd Allan Hill. June 24th, 1893 - July 28th, 1941.

To the Glory of God and in memory of a loving spirit Margaret Elsie Lamb June 1977.

To the Glory of God, In loving memory of my dear husband, Warren Sennett Ramer. Donated by Helen (Paxton) Ramer, 1989.

To the Glory of God and in Loving Memory of Herbert Sanderson 1892 - 1977 and of his wife Grace Sanderson 1895 - 1976.

To the Glory of God and in Loving Memory of Lena Sennett April 27th 1877 - June 1st 1936 & Ira D. Ramer March 15th 1876 - December 17th 1960, donated by Warren S. Ramer and Marion D. Ramer 1980.

To the Glory of God in Loving Memory of Arthur Reed Wilson Uren and Ruby May Hartman Uren 1904-1992

Description of Richmond Hill United Church courtesy of the Richmond Hill Local Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee (LACAC).