Vange was one of the earliest settlements made in this area by invaders from beyond the North Sea. These heathen fen folk may have covered a wide area among the marshes of the Thames and left the name of Faenge "marsh district" to the part between Pitsea and Fobbing.

A church may well have stood in this commanding position upon its humpy hill for 1000 years. For most of this time All Saints served the small village community which was called 'Fengge' in 963, 'Phenge' in Domesday Book (1086) and 'Fange' in 1203, indicating a fen or marshy area. Now it is situated near the southern boundary of sprawling Basildon New Town, which has developed in and around former country villages, including Basildon, Laindon, Pitsea and Vange, over the past 50 years. In the 1860s Vange was a tiny village of 160 inhabitants; now it is a vast parish of over 12,000.

With the growth of Basildon southwards, a new church of St Chad was built in 1957-58 about 1 mile (1.2km) to the north-east of the old church, in what has become the main centre of population. Both churches were in use until 1994 but the isolated position of All Saints made it vulnerable to vandalism and theft, and after two major thefts of tiles from the roof the building was closed and declared pastorally redundant in 1996. Because of its antiquity and interest, however, it was vested in The Churches Conservation Trust on 1 January 2003, to be cared for by the Church and the nation.

Early this century farms were sold for building and Vange began to grow and in 1949 the ancient village became part of the area designated for the New Town of Basildon.

Architects Messrs. Humphrys and Hurst. The foundation stone was laid by Lady Whitmore on December l0th1957, and dedicated on December 17th, 1958. The Lord Bishop of Chelmsford, Dr.F.Allison consecrated the building on the November 17th1959. The bell formerly hung in the ancient little church (now demolished) of Shopland, near Southend. For over 300 years it summoned the inhabitants of the tiny parish to church. St. Chad's seats 250 people and is situated nearer the main housing development in the parish.

This was built by Mr. A. P. Hedges, of Bowers Gifford, according to plans of Mr. R. D. C. Baxter, of Vange. Foundation stones were laid by the Lord Bishop of Chelmsford, Dr. H. A. Wilson, and Victor Raikes, Esq., M.P., on December 12th, 1931. It was opened by Dr. H. A. Wilson on February 27th, 1932. Later part of the hall was used as St. Paul's Mission Church.