Narthex
The imposing wood-carved screen was commissioned in 1918 and completed in 1922 and built as a WWI memorial to a design by Louis Williams. The intricate carving was executed by N. Reding. Williams incorporated Australian native flora into his design. It contains three brass honour rolls listing the 558 people from the parish who served in both world wars.
Baptistry
The arts and crafts style font and cover was gifted in 1922 in memory Adrian Evans and his infant sons. The style and design echoes that of the war memorial commenced at the same time. The proximity of the baptistry to the main door symbolizes peoples ‘entry’ into the church through baptism.
Oratory War Memorial
This ambitious memorial gives witness to the impact the Great War had on the parish community. It was commissioned by John Ashton (vicar 1911-21, later Bishop of Grafton) who wanted the work to recall the spire of St Giles, Edinburgh, and the chapel of Kings College Aberdeen. The white marble ‘pinnacled crown’ shrine houses a perpetually burning lamp and lists the 86 members of the congregation who fell in WWI and the 16 members who died in WWII. Memorial tablets mounted on the walls also commemorate two Sunday School librarians killed in France, the 158 who served in WWI from the All Saints Grammar School, and Choir members who served in WWII.
Nave
Built between 1858-1868 the nave has seating capacity for over 1000 people. The pews date from this time. The white stone pulpit, designed by Wyatt, was paid for by the ‘Ladies Sewing group’ in 1875. From here the sermon is preached. The eagle lectern carved from Tasmanian Blackwood by James Thompson in 1876 is a memorial to Port Philip Pioneer Thomas Austin whose wife Elizabeth founded the Austin Hospital. The lectern was the gift of W.H. Embling who had married one of the Austin daughters . From here the Bible is read.
North Transept
The Transepts were the most significant departure from the Billings’ original design. The founding vicar John Gregory (1858– 1893) returned to Melbourne after a long holiday aboard full of enthusiasm for the ‘French style’. When built they provided extra seating. Now, they give a welcome sense of openness and spaciousness to the church. The east wall houses a Venetian Mosaic of Christ purchased by Gregory c.1889. On the opposite wall a copy of Veronese’s (1528-1588) ‘Finding of Moses.’
Chapel
The north ‘chancel aisle’ was converted into a chapel in 1897 by Robert Potter (vicar 1893-1905). It was the first chapel in an Anglican parish church in Melbourne. Many of the furnishings were commissioned as part of the church’s Jubilee in 1908. The altar was installed 1927 in memory of Owen Lloyd Crossley (vicar 1905-1911, later bishop of Auckland). The fine wrought iron screen was crafted in 1908 in Art Nouveau style by Nelson Dawson of London and is the finest example of his work in the country. The stencil work was newly added during renovations of the church in 2009. The chapel also houses a 19th Century French banner of Our Lady, a 19th Century copy of ‘The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary’ by Peter Paul Ruebens (1577-1640) gifted in 1920, and a smaller painting of ‘Madonna and Child’ acquired 1880s, and which originally hung on sanctuary arch. The chapel porch now houses an image of Our Lady of Walsingham, the principal Marian devotion for Anglicans. The walls hold the memorials of those whose remains have been interred in the memorial garden.
Chancel
The permanent chancel was added in 1875. The entrance features a freestone chancel arch supported by two granite columns with finely carved capitals. The striking brass candelabra, formerly of King George IIs chapel in Windsor, was purchased in 1881. The brass screen was also acquired in the 1880s. The tiling and marble steps were laid 1881 and choir stalls added 1922. This is where Melbourne’s oldest and continuous all-male choir leads the singing for worship services.
Sanctuary
The Sanctuary features a freestone arcade of seven arches decorated with symbols of Christ and the Evangelists. The fine stencil work here and in the chancel was added in 1898. The brass cross with agates was gifted in 1875 and placed on the original high altar. The central sanctuary lamp dates from about 1926 as a memorial to Lloyd Crossley. The altar of pink marble and the white marble floor was added during the renovations of 2009.
South Transept
The large trio of figures of Christ on the Cross, with his mother Mary and the disciple John is from Cowley, Oxford, and the only example in Australia of the work of English arts and crafts sculptor Alec Miller. The polished oak altar below the cross was the original sanctuary altar from 1875 designed by Wyatt. On the opposite wall, a copy of ‘The Crucifixion’ by Peter Paul Ruebens acquired c. 1892. Originally placed in the chapel above the altar.
Vestries
The suite of vestries was mostly completed by 1885. They provide utility rooms and functional spaces for storage and preparation for services. Upstairs is a rehearsal room for the choir. An original organ (1868-71) by George Fincham was replaced in 1928 Roberts Ltd and rebuilt by Australian Pipe organs 1981-82.
Windows
All Saints houses an extensive set of windows from English, German and Australian makers.
The sanctuary windows are the earliest in the church (1875) and Australian designed and made.
The windows depicting the Annunciation, the Adoration of the Magi and the Boyhood of Christ are from Clayton and Bell in Regent Street, London. Also of the English style are the chapel windows of Peter and Paul and Faith, Hope and Charity (1893), based on a set of windows at New College Oxford and in themselves based on paintings by Sir Joshua Reynolds.
The Munich style at All Saints is represented in three groups of windows: the ‘Judas Window’ over the West Door based on the 1886 painting (now destroyed) by Hermann Prell; the two sets of five windows in the north and south transepts installed 1881; the remaining windows located in the Nave featuring the Vision of John the Divine, the Raising of Lazarus (both installed 1884), Jesus blessing the Children (1884), Jesus in the house of Bethany,(1886) and the Visitation (1887).
