A LITTLE ABOUT THE CHURCH
By 1824 Launceston had become the base for whalers, whose stations were at Encounter Bay, and Portland Bay, and for the men stripping wattle bark at Westernport. Lieut.-Governor Sorell made it the official headquarters of the northern settlement. On 28 December 1824 Lieut.-Governor Arthur laid the foundation stone of St John’s Church Launceston on Land that Chaplain Samuel Marsden had blessed.

It had been intended that St John’s should be a replica of St. David’s Hobart Town, but its size was arbitrarily reduced to what was considered adequate for the smaller settlement thus adversely affecting its proportions. The church, of Georgian design, was constructed of locally made bricks marked with the broad arrow, and built by convicts under the supervision of David Lambe, who had been appointed colonial architect in June 1824. St John’s was first used, in unfinished condition, on 16 December 1825 and was capable of seating 550 people in its nave and galleries. It was dedicated by Archdeacon Thomas Hobbes Scott on 6 March 1828. Two years later the tower with its octagonal turret was completed and in 1835 a clock and bell were installed in it.

During the 20th century the appearance of the church, both within and without, has been considerably altered. A master plan was prepared by Alexander North to enlarge the church and between 1901 and 1911 the chancel was widened by three meters, transepts were added, and provision made for a massive tower at the crossing. In 1938 the nave was reconstructed, the original walls being kept intact but raised in height and faced with new brickwork. It is worth noting that it is no longer intended to implement the remainder of the masterplan which would have meant replacing the tower and vestries at the western end, the only visible remaining part of the original church, by twin towers linked with a great arch.

As it now stands, the church presents an unusual construction of two very different architectural styles. The severe simplicity of the original nave with its low aisles and high clerestory and squat tower, surmounted by an octagonal turret, contrasts with the Gothic exuberance of the transepts and chancel which are constructed of red Victorian bricks and golden Patersonian sandstone with heavy bluestone foundations. Its final appearance will depend very greatly upon the height of the central tower with which the original tower and turret could be in competition.