St John's

St. John's Church stands today as an enduring testament to Tasmania's rich religious legacy, proudly holding the title of the oldest church in northern Tasmania. Its origins trace back to the late 1824, when construction commenced on a site sanctified a year prior by the esteemed Rev. Samuel Marsden, Senior Colonial Chaplain visiting from Sydney. Designed in the simplistic yet elegant preaching hall style, complete with a tower, the architectural essence of St. John's reflects the Georgian 'Gothick' style, attributed to the skilled hands of Colonial Architect David Lambe. Convicts contributed their labor to the construction effort, fashioning bricks in what is now Princes Square, thus intertwining the church's history with Tasmania's colonial past.

The burial ground was consecrated on 19th February 1823, under the authority of Samuel Marsden, Senior Chaplain. The ceremony was witnessed by John Youl, Assisting Chaplain; P.A. Mulgrave, J.P., Superintendent of Police; John S. Hughes, Lieutenant of the 3rd Regiment of the Buffs; and T.C. Simpson, J.P.

In November 1825, the brig Prince Leopold, under the command of Captain Harrison, made a brief stop at Maria Island en route to Launceston. Among its cargo was a consignment of freestone intended for the construction of a new church, indicative of the early colonial efforts to establish ecclesiastical infrastructure in Van Diemen’s Land.

On Christmas Day in 1825, St. John's welcomed its first congregation, albeit lacking both a chancel and tower. The subsequent addition of the tower, boasting a Huon pine-framed cupola, occurred under the watchful eye of Lambe's successor, John Lee-Archer. In 1835, a significant upgrade saw the installation of a bell from Mears' Whitechapel Bell Foundry in London, along with a new clock to replace the one from Port Arthur, marking pivotal moments in the church's evolution.

The consecration of St John’s Church was formally undertaken on 6th March 1828, with representation by Thomas Hobbes Scott, Archdeacon of New South Wales. The solemn occasion was attended and witnessed by prominent colonial figures, including Governor George Arthur, Edward Abbott, P.A. Mulgrave, James Norman, and church wardens William Kenworthy, and Theodore Bryant Bartley

An organ crafted by John Gray of London graced St. John's in late 1827, with some of its original pipes still adorning the west wall. The original workings of this instrument now find their home in St. John's Church in Franklin. In 1862, Charles Brindley of Sheffield, England, fashioned the current organ, reputedly one of the largest in the Southern Hemisphere, progressively expanding its musical prowess over time.

Plans for a more grandiose replacement church, designed to reflect the solemnity of liturgical ritual, were commissioned from architect Alexander North in 1892. Commencing implementation in 1901, the project unfolded over 37 years, witnessing an evolution from an elegant spired structure to a more rectilinear form. North's design embraced exceptional craftsmanship, notably executed by Hugh Cunningham and W. Gordon Cumming, weaving a narrative of architectural splendor and religious reverence into the fabric of Tasmania's history.