All Saints Anglican Church

Item details


Name of item:	All Saints Anglican Church
Type of item:	Built
Group/Collection:	Religion
Category:	Church
Primary address:	River Street, Tumut, NSW 2720
Local govt. area:	Snowy Valleys

All addresses

Street Address	Suburb/town	LGA	Parish	County	Type
River Street	Tumut	Snowy Valleys			Primary Address

Statement of significance:


	All Saints' Anglican Church, Tumut, is a beautifully conceived and sited church which is one of Edmund Blacket's rarer essays in brick construction surviving relatively intact. The Church plays an important role in the local community, especially for Anglicans. The building has a very high degree of historical, aesthetic, social and technical significance at a national level.
	Date significance updated: 11 Apr 00
	Note: The State Heritage Inventory provides information about heritage items listed by local and State government agencies. The State Heritage Inventory is continually being updated by local and State agencies as new information becomes available. Read the Department of Premier and Cabinet copyright and disclaimer.

Description


Designer/Maker:	Edmund Blacket
Builder/Maker:	Fred Kinred
Construction years:	1875-1882
Physical description:	All Saints' is a substantial church built of locally made mellow brown bricks with rendered details. It has a cruciform plan with three entrance porches. These porches feature Old English style tiles, incorporating a border reminiscent of the Norman pattern on the Chancel arch. A dominant feature of the building is the square buttressed tower with metal clad spire, topped by a seven-feet high finial. The steep timbered roof is now clad with Welsh slate in the pattern as originally intended and designed by Edmund Blacket. The church is built on a knoll above the nearby Tumut River and is surrounded by well kept lawns and English trees. Thirty-four figured stained-glass windows, dating from all eras, are a feature. The magnificent Crucifixion Window at the eastern end of the building was installed in 1885. The western wall features the beautiful rose window symbolising Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Below the rose window are four windows depicting the four Saints. The interior ceiling timbers are highlighted with unobtrusive lighting. The building has under carpet heating and is fitted out with many fine items of original furnishings of the 1880's including the Altar and Altar Rails, Bishops Chair, Sanctuary Chair and Priest's Prayer Desk, Lectern, Font and Pews. The Altar of red and yellow polished wood is a reproduction of a 12th century design. The octagonal pulpit of oak has panels of different designs. The unique lecturn, carved as an eagle, is believed to have been carved from timber from the bow of a ship. The pews were designed by Blacket's sons, each have foliage carvings at each end, all of which are different and even vary at each end of the pew. The hand carved stone font has a central supporting pillar and small pillars of marble on a marbel base with a carved oak cover. The pulpit and Memorial pipe organ were installed following the 1914-18 War. [Reference: "A Labour of Love" All Saints' Restoration Committee 1986. pgs 4-5, 44-49]
Physical condition and/or Archaeological potential:	Good
	Date condition updated:11 Apr 00
Modifications and dates:	1910 Wooden shingle roof replaced with cement tiles 1935 Lych Gate built 1941 "Golden Jubilee Pioneer's Memorial Wall" (Brick Fence) completed, together with traffic gates 1985 - 86 Major restoration closely following the guidelines of the Burra Charter. Cement tile roof replaced with welsh slate in Edmund Blacket's design. 1885 - 1997 Stained Glass windows installed.
Further information:	This building represents the courage, foresight, hard work and dedication of the Anglican pioneers of the Tumut district to commission the best architect available to design such a large and imposing church and then to complete that building in a small, isolated rural community.


Current use:	Ecclesiastic Building - church
Former use:	Church

History

Historical notes:

Aug 1857 - First church on site opened.
1875 - Moves made for a new church. Edmund Blacket engaged as architect. Fred Kinred's tender accepted to build the church.
28/12/1885 - Foundation stone laid by Rev DE Jones (Rector) with Rev G Spencer and Rev SB Holt assisting.
Nov 1876 - Nave completed and opened.
April 1888 - Church opened by Bishop of Goulburn, M Thomas Foundation stone laid for tower by Bishop Thomas.
1881 - Tower completed.
Oct 1883 - Consecration of Church.
June 1976 - Classifed by the National Trust.
Mar 1978 - Registered in the National Estate Register.
1981 - Restoration Appeal launched.
1984 - Appointment of Jackson Teece Chesterman Willis as Restoration Architects and Wargon, Chapman & Partners as Consulting Engineers.
1985 - Plans and specifications approved by National Trust.
April 1985 - Tender of John Lusk, Builder of Tumut, accepted.
May 1985 - Contract signed. Restoration work begun.
1986 - Rededication by Rt Rev Owen Dowling, Bishop of Canberra and Goulburn following completion of restoration works.
[Reference: "A Labour of Love" All Saints' Restoration Committee. Pgs 3-7, 14 and 50]

Historic themes

Australian theme (abbrev)	New South Wales theme	Local theme
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Religion-Activities associated with particular systems of faith and worship	(none)-

Assessment of significance


SHR Criteria a) [Historical significance]	All Saints' is one of the few buildings of cultrual significance extant in the Tumut and surrounding district. This church was built in response to growth in the area following the first churhc on this site being opened in 1857. Its history expresses its importance in the evolving pattern of development of Tumut and district.
SHR Criteria c) [Aesthetic significance]	Designed by Edmund Blacket, it is Norman influenced Gothic Revival with a cruciform plan accommodating two vestries. The church shows creative excellence and is considered one of Edmund Blacket's finest rural churches. The building has a high degree of origianl integrity in setting, size and condition. The dominant tower gives the church landmark qualities. Following Blacket's failing health, the interior was completed under the supervision of his sons.
SHR Criteria d) [Social significance]	The Anglican church has had a presence in Tumut since 1857 on the same site. The church has been the cente of worship and spiritual activities for a large group from the community since that time. It is held in high regard by the entire community, not only Anglicans.
SHR Criteria e) [Research potential]	It was unusual for Edmund Blacket to design a brick building, but he did like to use local materials. The church demonstrates building techniques and materials used from a previous era. It is therefore a rare Edmund Blacket building.
SHR Criteria f) [Rarity]	An extremely large church building for a mall rural town such as Tumut was in the late 1880s.
SHR Criteria g) [Representativeness]	An excellent example of Blacket's architectural prowess in a rural church building.
Integrity/Intactness:	High degree of original integrity.
Assessment criteria:	Items are assessed against the State Heritage Register (SHR) Criteria to determine the level of significance. Refer to the Listings below for the level of statutory protection.

Recommended management:


	The church is in very good condition and at present the only concern is the fact that the stained glass windows are unprotected.

Listings

Heritage Listing	Listing Title	Listing Number	Gazette Date	Gazette Number	Gazette Page
Local Environmental Plan		01991	07 Dec 90	161	10773

References, internet links & images

Type	Author	Year	Title
Written	All Saints' Restoration Committee	1986	A Labour of Love
Written	Florence Stacy	1956	History of the Anglican Church 1830 - 1926 (Supplement II)
Written	Florence Stacy	1935	History of the Anglican Church 1830 - 1926 (Supplement I)
Written	Florence Stacy	1927	History of the Anglican Church in Tumut 1830 - 1926
Written	R T Wyatt		History of the Diocese of Goulburn
Written	Ralda McAlister	1999	NSW State Heritage Inventory Form
Written	S Miners	1998	All Saints' Church Tumut, Guide to the Church and Rectory

Note: internet links may be to web pages, documents or images.

(Click on thumbnail for full size image and image details)

Data source


The information for this entry comes from the following source:
Name:	Gazette NSW Statutory Listings
Database number:	17485

Every effort has been made to ensure that information contained in the State Heritage Inventory is correct. If you find any errors or omissions please send your comments to the Database Manager.

All information and pictures on this page are the copyright of Heritage NSW or respective copyright owners.