The Central Council for the Care of Churches of the Church of England was formed in 1917, developing from the Central Committee for the Protection of English Churches under the Archbishops' Council. Francis Carolus Eeles was the first honorary secretary from 1917. He served as paid secretary from 1926 until his death in 1954.
It became the Church Buildings Council in 2007, after having joined the Cathedrals Fabric Commission for England. It produced a series of reports on its work which were published by the Church Information Office.