History

We hope that this will help you to understand a little about this building’s history and why we as a Fellowship have a desire to continue to utilise it for our celebration and ministry services. This being the site of the first church in the Bendigo goldfields almost 150 years ago.

VIEW HILL FELLOWSHIP.
(formerly All Saints Old Cathedral)
A Brief History* 

Pre 1985.

All Saints’ Anglican Church was founded on this site in 1852, being the first church in the Bendigo goldfields almost 150 years ago. The first ‘church’ was a covered wagon and a tent erected by the Rev’d John Herbert Gregory. This tent was in turn followed by a canvas roofed, slab sided building.

The original part of the building which now stands here is the oldest church extant on the Victorian gold fields, being built from the sandstone of the gold bearing reef upon which it stands.

The freehold of 1.25 acres was awarded in the Crown Grant in 1854. On January 22nd 1855, the foundation stone of the sandstone section of the building was laid by Mr Wollaston, on of the original trustees.

The surrounding area has been witness to some stirring occasions, being the venue of meetings of protest and demonstration during the era of the "Red Ribbon" rebellion of 1853/54.

The original sandstone part of the building was a portion of a 1855 plan of a Mr Hartley of W H Burgoyne, architects of Sandhurst. It was designed as a temporary phase in the building of an imposing structure which included a tower, vestries, gallery, etc. However, this was never completed.

In January 1858 the building was severely damaged in a violent windstorm, which brought to notice some of the deficiencies of the original builder. The building was repaired at a cost of £3000 and only having recently found the funds to build the church, it was a long time before the debt incurred for the repairs could be liquidated.

The gold miners of early Sandhurst (Bendigo), affectionately referred to All Saints’ as the "Cathedral of the North".

In 1902, the first Bishop of Bendigo, Bishop Langley, was enthroned in the old 'Throne', now looked after at Dudley House, View Street, Bendigo the Royal Historical Society’s headquarters.

Such unofficial patronage continued until 1932 when the official title of 'Cathedral' was bestowed. This status was withdrawn in August 1981 and in 1983 it was termed 'All Saints’ Old Cathedral'.

In June 1869 it was proposed that a ‘new’ All Saints be built more fitting as a cathedral. Designs were drawn up by Messrs Vahland and Getzschmann and the foundation stone laid. However, due to the competion from another new church in Bendigo (St Pauls), funds were not made available and it was decided to repair the existing building.

In December 1935, Lord Huntingfield, Governor of Victoria, initiated and laid the foundation stone for the building of a cathedral in the ‘modern-Gothic’ style, to a design by Louis Williams. (This is the cream brick eastern end of the building). It was at this time that the eastern end of the original building was knocked out to make way for the new section on the building. The sanctuary was then moved from the western end into the new chancel section. This was also to be an imposing structure with a massive centre spire quite different from the original design by Mr Hartley mentioned earlier. However, this too was never completed.

The woodwork, including the Bishop’s throne, Dean’s stall, choir and Canon’s stalls, altar, altar rail, pews, rood screen, crucifix and figures were made by Mr Cec Hadwen over a number of years, with each piece of furniture of original design and not mass produced. Most of the woodwork was of blackwood. Because the exterior of the building was not proceeded with, much was put into the interior woodwork of All Saints’ to create a place of warmth befitting a place of worship.

The black marble pulpit was a gift from Westminster Abbey where it had stood for many years. It was given to All Saints’ to commemorate its being proclaimed a cathedral in 1932. It now stands at St Matthews’ Albury NSW.

As you enter the building via the main doors, you view the War Memorials of the 1914-18, 1939-45 & Korean Wars. Proceeding through the glass swing doors you enter the original sanctuary where there is displayed the Queen’s Banner and Regimental Colours of the 38th Battalion, Northern Victorian Regiment, embroidered with their battle honours. The magnificent stained glass window is a memorial to the Rev’d Garlick and depicts the Ascension of Jesus. This is an example of the early work of George Montgomery, a leading glass artist in Victoria at the time. This window represents three different lights of the Church, the present, the past and the future. (Note: Rev’d Garlick has been depicted kneeling in the right hand pane). The windows which flank the old section of the building are also examples of Montgomery’s work.

The pipe organ is the oldest on the Bendigo gold fields, having been built for this church in 1865 by Messrs Gray & Davison of London.

The three stained glass windows that were at the east end depicted saints from the Old testament times(Isaiah), New testament times (Peter) and Modern times (Sundah Singh). This is a Fernie memorial window and was installed in 1935 and the work of Heidelberg glass artist, Christian Waller. These were sold to the National Gallery in Adelaide in 1994.

The cast iron fence with stone foundations, around the Forest and Mackenzie Streets frontages, was erected in 1884 at a cost of 750 Pounds($1,500-). The sections were patterned and cast in Sandhurst at Challender’s 'Phoenix' foundry. The church bell was poured at Horsfall & Lowden’s foundry in Long Gully. These items do credit to these local foundries.

Post 1985.

On 10th September 1989 All Saints was closed as a parish church. This came about due to a decline in numbers of people attending, the rising costs involved in maintaining the building and that the Cathedral status had in 1981 been shifted to St Paul’s.

Following the closure some of the interior furnishings of All Saints were installed at St Paul’s with the remaining being sold to St Matthew’s Albury to refit that church which had recently been destroyed by fire.

Prior to Easter 1991 a small group under the leadership of Rev Peter Downes were granted permission to use the hall as a meeting place for services. This was the start of VIEW HILL FELLOWSHIP. These services were to be ‘Charismatic and Renewal’ with an emphasis on reaching the unchurched people of Bendigo. Miss Jenny King was appointed as Assistant Pastor with her special emphasis to be on the childrens’ ministry and small groups. Attendances at these services soon grew to large to be accommodated in the hall and permission was granted by the Diocese for ‘VIEW HILL FELLOWSHIP’ to use the church building for their services, with the hall to be used for the children’s ministry and office space.

In 1994 the three ‘Saints’ stained glass windows in the eastern end of the church building were sold to the National Gallery of South Australia with the funds obtained used to reduce the debts incurred by the diocese prior to the closure of Girton College.

In November 1995 Rev Dr John Steele was commissioned as the second pastor of VIEW HILL FELLOWSHIP.

At the diocesan synod of 1996 VIEW HILL FELLOWSHIP was constituted as an official 'Outreach Centre' for the diocese, by an act of Synod. Part of the role of VIEW HILL FELLOWSHIP is to be assistance to other parishes in their investigating new models of ministry. It was also at this time that VIEW HILL FELLOWSHIP started to transition to the 'Cell Church' format. This process is still continuing.

Following a period where the Deanery/Rectory building was used for a live in ‘School of Ministry’ it is now used as offices and resources centre for VIEW HILL FELLOWSHIP.

Early in 1998 St Matthews Long Gully was again joined with VIEW HILL FELLOWSHIP.

During 1999 renovations to the building were undertaken and these included the installation of access and toilet for the disabled, crèche facilities and a stairway down to the new meeting room and facilities under the former sanctuary area at the eastern end of the building.

*We offer our thanks to Keith Cole who in 1990 wrote down the history of All Saints’ Cathedral, from which much of the information about the early history of this building has been taken and to Alan Taylor for this brief review.