Friends of Buckland Church
Revitalising an historic building as a vibrant community space
We bought the church!
Thanks to Friends of Buckland Church Inc (FOBC) the church has belonged to the community since December 2022. FOBC are a secular, not for profit, registered charity with the purpose of the conservation of this historic and architecturally significant site. FOBC and the local community continue to work in earnest to revitalise this historic building for all to enjoy.
The church now hosts all manner of community activities. Keep an eye out for what’s happening in our EVENTS section - you’ll find a warm welcome awaits.
Have a bit of time to spare? Volunteers are very welcome to assist in all manner of ways - just contact FOBC if you’re interested. Better still, join in as a Friend and be a part of this special piece of Tasmanian history.
Repair, Restore, Revitalise
As with most old buildings, Buckland Church is in need of some serious TLC.
The process of restoring the bell tower and repointing the western facade is well underway, the stone of which was broken and damaged. This work has only been possible through the generous assistance of Tasmania’s State Government, who provided a grant to fund the expert stonemason skills required for this restoration.
175th Anniversary
15 January 2025 marked the 175th Anniversary of the consecration of St John the Baptist Church. The Courier of Hobart reported at the time:
“The Church at Prosser's Plains was consecrated on the 15th instant. The singular beauty of the fabric has been heard of in many quarters, and was doubtless a contributing cause to the gathering of a considerable congregation, who came to witness and give thanks for its dedication”.
Thanks to all Friends and Supporters who have made it possible to now preserve the church for use as a community space for all.
History
Buckland Church, like many historic buildings in Tasmania, was built by convicts. Designed in the tradition of old English chapels, in this case as a replica of the church at Cookham Dean in Sussex, England, Buckland Church is a simple building of sandstone. The foundation stone was laid in 1846, and the building completed 4 years later. The incomparable stained glass window behind the altar - brought to Buckland by the Reverend F H Cox, Rector of the church 1846-48 - was reported in 1850 as "the work of Mr. O'Connor, a London artist". Visit the church and see it for yourself!
Graveyards
There are 3 graveyards; one in the immediate church grounds, with headstones denoting burials back to the mid-1800’s. The second graveyard sits outside the church walls and is a more modern cemetery, with headstones dated within the past few years. Many local families have relatives in these graveyards. The 3rd graveyard sits across the road and remains the property of the Anglican church: these graves are currently the subject of an identification project to ascertain the names and histories of the people buried there. With the church now belonging to the community, FOBC is responsible for the graveyards and burials.
Events for everyone
FOBC hosts and encourages functions and events at the church, from the more traditional functions such as weddings and funerals to contemporary concerts, art exhibitions and other gatherings in response to community inputs.
Contact us if you would like to book a private function or if you have any suggestions.
“Historic Buckland Church is known far and wide for its beauty of design and solidity of construction.”
Get in touch
Feel free to contact us with any questions or discuss how you can be a FOBC. You can be involved as much or as little as you like.
We’ll get back to you as soon as we can.
Visit
Location
1 Duke Street, Buckland, TAS 7190
Travel: 60 km north east of Hobart
Hours
Open for events and by appointment: we’re working on a system where people can visit at anytime
Contact
friends.buckland.church@gmail.com