Trinity & St. Philip's Cathedral, a building with a distinct colonial architecture, had its beginning in the early part of the 18th century.

Services were conducted by visiting priests for colonists who had settled in Newark as early as 1729. In 1742, Newark's Anglicans organized and decided to construct their church. A small stone edifice with a steeple was erected in 1743 on almost the same site as the present cathedral. Three years later, King George II granted a charter to Trinity Church.

Used as a hospital during the Revolutionary War for wounded British and American troops, the building sustained heavy damage from the ravages of war. The destruction was so extensive that a new church building was planned and construction was completed in 1810. During the 19th century, the church leadership established ten other Episcopal churches in the area. In 1857, the church was enlarged at the east end by adding a chancel and sanctuary, giving Trinity basically the same appearance it has today.

Trinity Church was elevated to full cathedral status in May 1944. Cathedral House on Rector Street was built about that same time. In 1964, St. Philip's Church on High and West Market Streets in Newark was destroyed by fire. On October 21, 1966 the predominantly black St. Philip's and the largely white Trinity merged, bringing together two strong traditions of Anglican and African. The following year, Dillard Robinson was elected Dean, the first African American dean of a cathedral in the United States. St. Philip's name was added to Trinity in 1992.