Founded after the 1615 will by Juan de Ayala Dávila y Zúñiga, who left all his estate to have a convent built for the Franciscans’ Recoletos Descalzos. This will was challenged by his family and the Dominic monks from Candelaria, until a papal bull of 1677 decided the ownership in favour of the Franciscans mentioned above. In the meantime, a convent was being built that would eventually include this church, whose original walls date back to 1648 (according to a historical plaque).
In 1821 when convents were abolished, this compound was in poor condition and it was auctioned. In 1839, the convent, the land and the church went to private hands.
On 24 March 2003 the process started to have the Ermita de San Diego designated Cultural Heritage Asset, under the Monument category.
The church has one single nave about 21 m long by 9m wide; the floor is made of old ceramic tiles and the hip roof features barrel tiles. Seen from the outside, its single nave is attached to the former convent on the Gospel side, which was a usual practice on the island. The main façade has quite a simple layout that includes stone corners and, on the Gospel side, a stone bell gable with three openings (the bell gable is divided in two sections, featuring two openings in the lower section and a smaller one at the upper section. It also has a lintel window, framed by stone (similar to the stone used for the corners and the bell gable), in the area where the choir stands. A stonework semi-circular arch borders the doorway. On both sides of the door there are two stone benches.
The façade on the Gospel side has two windows with a grey stonework semi-circular arch. There is also another grey stone semi-circular arch that could be part of a side entrance to the church, corresponding to one of the doors mentioned in documents from the late 17th century.
There is a high choir that runs the full width of the nave. It is reached by a very steep staircase which is protected by a wooden banister with simple ornamented balusters.
A stone bench runs across the Gospel wall up to the chancel. It dates from the latter half of the 19th century. The seat is made of clay slabs, similar to those on the floor. Benches are a very usual feature in Canarian country chapels and are used both inside and outside.
