Here stands St Thomas’ Anglican Church North Sydney a testament to faith and history. This isn’t just another church. It’s a landmark with stories etched in its stones.
St Thomas’ has a rich past. It began with a smaller church designed by Conrad Martens. That original church opened in 1846. Martens even carved the baptismal font which is still used today.
As North Sydney grew St Thomas’ needed more space. Edmund Blacket designed a new Gothic Revival church. Its cornerstone was laid in 1881. The Prince of Wales later King George V did the honors. Construction finished in 1886.
At 160 feet St Thomas’ Anglican Church is the longest Anglican church in New South Wales. The church is longer than St Andrews Cathedral.
Many notable people are connected to St Thomas’. Early members included Alexander Berry James Milson and George Barney. Edward Wollstonecraft and Owen Stanley are buried in the church cemetery.
In 1938 a plaque was unveiled. It commemorated the church’s founders. Lord Wakehurst the Governor of New South Wales did the unveiling.
King Charles III and Queen Camilla visited St Thomas’ in 2024. They attended a church service during their Australian tour. The Archbishop of Sydney preached the sermon.
Inside St Thomas’ you will find beauty. Arches progress down the nave. They meet the stone arches of the transept and chancel. Eleven circular stone columns have foliage capitals. Each capital is different.
The roof features New Zealand Kauri timber beams. They are ornamented with chamfered edges. Stone corbels under the windows mark where gas lighting was once used.
A marble head representing a seraph is attached to the west wall. It came from St Paul’s Cathedral in London. It was a gift after the cathedral was bombed.
The baptistery sits near the main door. The bell inside is from the first church. It was used before services until the 1960s.
The font in the baptistery is by Conrad Martens. He was the artist of Sydney and Port Jackson.
The Pozieres Cross honors the 17th Battalion. They fought in France during World War One. The wooden cross marked the graves of those killed.
Stained glass windows depict scenes from the life of Jesus. They came from English German and Australian manufacturers. The Blacket memorial window is in the western wall.
Rev. William Clarke was the first rector of St Thomas’. He arrived in Sydney in 1839. He was also a geologist. Edmund Blacket the architect died before St Thomas’ was completed. His sons continued his work.
St Thomas’ Anglican Church is more than bricks and mortar. It embodies faith history and community. It’s a place where the past and present meet.