The monument evokes Mafra’s medieval origins, and its construction was ordered by the town’s donatory family at that time.

The first document referring to the Church dates to 1279, and the existing historical records concerning this place of worship allow us to establish that its construction must have been advanced, if not completed, in the first half of the following century. In 1344 D. Diogo Afonso de Sousa, the lord of Mafra, Ericeira and Enxara dos Cavaleiros, was buried in the church.

The Church of Santo André is one of the best known examples of Gothic parish architecture. Archaeological excavations have shown that, in the 17th century, it was subjected to work for conservation and even improvement, as exemplified by the construction of the roof of the structure with a dome. At the end of the 19th century, it was in ruins, and it was only until the following century, in 1903, that it would be restored. The works finally ended in 1930, and five years later, the Church of Santo André was recognised as a national monument.