It was built in the baroque style by Thomas Archer as the second parish church of Birmingham in 1711-15 and only became a cathedral after the Church of England Diocese of Birmingham was created in 1904.

St Phillips is built in brick and faced in stone; its design was inspired by the Italian baroque architect Bernini and his influence is apparent in the convex west tower, dome, lantern, parapets, balustrades and broad-arched windows; rooftop urns were added in 1756.

JA Chatwin enlarged the chancel and added a semi-circular apse in the 1880's. The interior contains windows by Edward Burne-Jones, an organ case by Thomas Schwarbrick and chancel rails in the style of Tijou.

It was designed by Augustus Pugin in the style of a German Hallenkirche and built in brick with bath stone dressings on the site of an earlier Georgian church in 1839-41.

The nave is overly narrow because the church was built on high ground that falls rapidly away towards the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal.

Pugin compensated for the narrow nave by making the ceiling twice as high and by squeezing the westwerke between two slender-broached spires to create the illusion of vertical space.

The south-west spire was added by Pugin's son, Edward Welby, in 1856.

The interior contains the Immaculate Conception Window by John Hardman Powell; a Rood cross by Pugin that incorporates a mediaeval Flemish figure of Christ; a 16th century statue of St Chad with a Victorian oak canopy, and a 15th century Belgian pulpit.

The church also contains sanctuary windows by William Warrington; carved nave benches by G.B Cox; the shrine of Saint Chad above the High Altar, a mediaeval statue of Our Lady, and 15th century stalls with elaborate misericords.