Lorne, Victoria, Australia

In the early 1870’s visiting clergy held Divine Service at the Sanctuary, a glen beside the Erskine River, and later at Erskine House. In November 1880 All Saints was opened, the first church to be built in Lorne. Four years later, with the aid of a team of bullocks and eleven horses, the church was moved a distance of twenty chains to its present site at 188 Mountjoy Parade. Chancel and Vestry were added in 1885 and the Memorial Garden in 1973.

Time Line Summary

• 1880, All Saints Church opened, first church in Lorne.
• 1884, Church moved to current location at 188 Mountjoy Parade.
• 1885, Chancel and Vestry added.
• 1886, Debt cleared, fundraising for a Parsonage began.
• 1973, Memorial Garden added.

It was a stormy day when All Saints’ Church was opened on November 14th 1880. There were 65 present at Matins and Holy Communion and 58 at Evensong. The First Vicar, The Reverend Jas C Love, had been preceded by lay-readers, namely Mr Bishop and Mr J Evans. Now, on this opening Sunday, Mr Love took the duties in the morning, in the afternoon, and in the evening.

Mr Love appears to have been a wise master-builder and a faithful pastor with an eye to the future. Under his guidance the building was erected on the land presented by Mr Henry Gwynne of Geelong at Mr John Snowdon’s contract price of £280 exclusive of furnishings, excavations etc.

1880/1884, Anglican Church

In 1884, ”owing to incessant complaints from visitors”, it was decided to move the Church from the corner of Charles and Albert Street to a more central position near to the sea. So it was rolled down the hill, across the Varna Gully, and down again to 188 Mountjoy Parade. Then shortly it was enlarged by the addition of the Chancel, Vestry and Porch as designed by the Church’s Architect Mr Watts.

It was now a noble, well proportioned and integrated building as can be seen from the early sketches; and a recent note in the visitors book by the present Diocesan Architect, Mr Louis R Williams, is of interest and importance: “the clear glass of the leaded windows in the knave is a great joy and should be preserved”. All this work of building, consolidating and removal involved continuous effort by the Vicar and his committees, with very many meetings in Mr Loves private home in Smith Street, a house which we know as the recent home of the late Miss Olga Armytage.

Yet, as early as 1886, it was resolved “that the debt upon the church being now cleared, steps be taken towards the erection of a parsonage on the ground acquired for this purpose and that with this object in view a fund be established called the Parsonage Fund to which contributions may hereafter be paid”.