History of Anglican Parish of Box Hill

Anglican services were held in Box Hill from 1883 in a small brick church on the corner of Frankcom St and Whitehorse Rd. On 18 September 1889 the Bishop of Melbourne, Field Flowers Goe, laid the foundation stone on this site and the little church was transported to the site that year. It was replaced by a much larger wooden church, with a spire, in 1908, with the original church being used as a Hall. Much of this wooden building was destroyed in a fire in 1943, and a second fire in 1949 razed the rebuilt church to the ground.

Leading Melbourne church architect Louis Williams provided the designs for the current Peace Memorial Church, the first stage of which was completed in 1951, and the second stage in 1971. In 2006 an addition with space for offices and meetings was designed by Fred Batterton at the North end of the church. With windows on to Whitehorse Rd replacing the former blank façade, this addition represents the church’s involvement with the life of the community around it.