The Font and Font Inset

The Chapel's historic stone font, characteristic of Norman design, may be the oldest object of ecclesiastical craft still in use in Australia. It was built for the church of St Andrew at West Tarring, Sussex, England. The antiquary John Seldon was baptised in it in 1584, but it could be much older even than that. In 1829 Thomas Henty removed it, and brought it with him when he emigrated to the colony of Victoria. When St James' William Street, West Melbourne, was opened for worship in 1842 (later the Cathedral church from 1853-1891), the font was placed in it by the Hentys, who worshipped there. In 1845 Governor La Trobe acquired a font from St Katherine's Abbey, London, which replaced the Henty font in St James'. In 1854 St John's La Trobe Street was opened for worship, and the Henty font was installed there. When St John's was demolished in 1957, the Henty font was obtained for the new church of St Faith's, Burwood. In 1969 the Vicar of St Faith's decided to acquire a portable font, and the Henty font was given to Trinity College Chapel through the good offices of the then College Chaplain, the Revd Dr Barry Marshall. In accordance with tradition it was set near the west door, as it is through baptism that one 'enters' the Church.

See Caroline Miley, Trinity College Chapel: An Appreciation (Melbourne: Trinity College, 1997) 48.

The glass inset, commissioned from one of Australia's leading glass artists, David Wright, was added in 2005. In his original plan for the font, Wright comments on his design, which 'symbolises the rippled flow of water leading to the "waterhole", with native animal tracks and human footprints pointing to the centre. At the centre is an embryo, symbolic of new life, the waters of the uterus, and of course, baptism. A loose connection is thus made with both the carvings of native animals in the Chapel [on the pews and west face of the organ casing], and with the Henty family, as early pastoralists reliant on the presence of the water hole.'

The inset's evocative texture mirrors the 'river' candle mats on the nave and high altars crafted by the same artist some years earlier — reflecting the essential relationship between Baptism and Eucharist in the life of the Church. It is removed for the season of Lent, when the font is covered.