HOLY TRINITY ANGLICAN CATHEDRAL CLOSE

DOCKER STREET AND OVENS STREET AND CUSACK STREET WANGARATTA, WANGARATTA RURAL CITY

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Victorian Heritage Register

h01065 1 holy trinity anglican cathedral precinct wangaratta east side 2005

Statement of Significance

• Additional Place Information

  • History

    HOLY TRINITY ANGLICAN CATHEDRAL CLOSE - History

    HISTORY OF PLACE

    The first Anglican church in Wangaratta, Trinity Church, was built on this site in 1856. The Honorary Architect was J Dobbyn. The Rectory (the present Deanery on Ovens Street) was built at the same time. This site has been a centre of Anglican worship in north-east Victoria since then. In 1872 the church was enlarged and a wing added to the Rectory.

    When the Diocese of Wangaratta was created in 1901 the Holy Trinity Church at Wangaratta was still sound, and was used as a pro-cathedral. A Bishop's Lodge was built to the south of this in 1904 as the residence of the first Bishop of Wangaratta, Thomas Armstrong. When it was felt that a more appropriate church was needed, it was originally intended simply to extend the existing church. However Armstrong decided to build a new brick cathedral, as a symbol of diocesan identity and as a centre for worship of an exemplary kind [Church in a Landscape, p 74]. So much money was raised by the parish, in particular a donation by Mrs Mary Jack, that it was decided to build in stone, with an interior of brick patterned in black, and on a larger scale than had first been planned. A design competition was held, and won by Butler & Bradshaw, with Walter Butler completing most of the drawings. Butler was the Melbourne Diocesan architect, and one of Melbourne?s leading exponents of the Arts and Crafts school.

    The first section was begun in 1908, and dedicated in 1909. It was built by W McKnockiter for about £5,000, and consisted of half the nave, with two wooden ends, a wooden chancel and an iron roof, the ends, chancel and roof being temporary. The walls alone, of Warby granite quarried at South Wangaratta and chiselled on site, and perhaps the floor, were intended to be permanent.

    The building of the second stage, the chancel, sanctuary, Lady Chapel, sacristy and vestries, was made possible by the bequests of two wealthy businessmen, Francis Heach and Thomas Bell, who between them left about £17,750 for the Cathedral. The architect for the second stage, built in 1923-4 and costing £18,000, was also Butler, and work was superintended on site by McKnockiter. The construction work went on around the temporary wooden chancel, and was practically complete before this was removed. Amstrong however never built probably the most interesting and original part of Butler's design: the two tapering towers at the west end.

    More appropriate furnishings and fittings replaced much that had been temporary, the major items being the Bishop Armstrong Memorial pulpit of white marble, and the organ screen, choir stall and pews. The pulpit was designed by Butler, and installed in 1934 as a memorial to Armstrong following his death. Auguste Fisher, one of Melbourne's finest Arts and Crafts artists, was commissioned for windows in the cathedral.

    The cathedral was described in the Church Standard as the most impressive church outside Melbourne, and it was acknowledged by a cable from the Archbishop of Canterbury. There were even local commercial advantages, as property prices in Wangaratta rose ten percent after the diocese was proclaimed, a rise attributed partly at least to the town's status as a diocesan centre [Church in a Landscape, p 72].

    The Depression, WWII and its after effects, particularly the acute shortage of building materials, delayed the completion of the Cathedral. Butler had died by the time the third stage was built in 1961-5, so Louis Williams, the prominent architect of a number of Church of England churches in Victoria and NSW, was engaged. He substantially altered Butler's original design for the entrance end, which had never received approval from the church.

    The final design of the church was therefore dependent on Butler for the style, the choice of materials and the design of the west end, but on Williams for the appearance of the east (entrance) end. The contract price for this stage, built by L H Brown Williams and Joseph Smith was £90,697, but the final cost, including furnishings and landscaping, was to be £180,000, and took two and a half years longer to complete than originally estimated. The first step was the demolition of half of the nave of the old church, which had for fifty years stood at the east end of the new nave and been used as the parish hall, then the nave and aisles were extended by three bays and a baptistery and entrance added. Louis Williams designed much church furniture, and probably designed many of the interior fittings of the church, such as the font and baptistery screen. The height of the church to the roof ridge is 75 ft, the nave is 100 ft long by 50 ft wide, and the total length 160 ft.

    The new cathedral was dedicated in 1965 by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Michael Ramsay, whose presence bestowed extra kudos on the event and the cathedral. At the dedication the west doors were opened from inside by Louis Williams. The cathedral was described in the Anglican: 'The now completed extension work presents an impressive massing of architectural shapes, pleasing to the eye, whilst inside the soaring height creates a feeling of majesty and uplift. The ceiling is of golden toned acoustic tiles, which give a very rich tone.'

    The west windows were created by the Melbourne glass firm of Brooks Robinson for its completion in 1965. They were designed by Jo Stansfield, the firm?s supervising artist. In the top panels is a priest offering the eucharist, and below are a series of landscapes, commencing with pioneer settlement, but going on to show a twentieth century town and housing, a modern factory and farm equipment.

    The location of an intended stone bell tower can be seen to the south of the entrance, apparent from the incomplete stone courses and a temporary wall. The site is now occupied by a temporary timber tower, which was begun in 1983. Its bells were cast in 1806, making them the oldest peal of bells in Australia. These were purchased in 1976 from a redundant British church with funds from a bequest from Francis Heach. Bishop Armstrong's son, Brian, funded the building of the tower, designed by the Melbourne architect George Mitchell.

    A number of residential and administrative buildings are scattered around the precinct. The oldest is the Deanery. In about 1920 the original 1850s part of the Rectory was rebuilt, largely out of the old material, but the eastern wing added in 1872 remains practically unchanged [The Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity Wangaratta, np]. After the new Deanery was built on Docker Street it became a Parish Centre. The Bishop?s Lodge was built in 1904 on the corner of Ovens and Cusack Streets. Armstrong House was designed by the architect A C Macknight and built for the Archdeacon in 1933 on Ovens Street between the Cathedral and the Bishop?s House. It became number 1 The Close when The Close was built, and is now the Assistant Curate's House.

    The Close was the brain child of Archdeacon Percy Dicker and was planned by the Parish in 1939, in a period of expansion and new building around the Cathedral that started then and recommenced after WWII. It is a complex of buildings on the site approached by its own private road; it is distinctive both in appearance and use, and is unique in Australia [Church in a Landscape, p 161]. It runs around the rear of the Cathedral across land owned by the church, from the New Deanery on Docker Street to the Archdeacon's House on Ovens Street. A number of houses closely associated with the church were built along The Close between 1939 and 1950, all designed and built by J Law & Son, well-known Wangaratta builders. The total cost was £22,000. The development of The Close, with its pleasing greens, shrubs and trees, opened up previously unseen views of the rear of the Cathedral.

    The houses built in The Cathedral Close are (in approximate order of construction):

    . No 13, on the corner of the Close and Docker Street, intended as a new Deanery and built in 1939, when The Close first proposed. The old Deanery has now reverted to its original use, and this is now the Diocesan or Bishop?s Registry.

    . No11 The Close, most likely built in c1939, but possibly in 1946, after WWII. It was occupied by a Churchwarden, V Edgar, and his family.

    . No 9 was built in 1946 for Mr & Mrs F C Purbrick. Mr Purbrick was a well-known local solicitor, closely associated with the management of the Diocese, who moved here after his retirement, and was given a life occupancy. A memorial to him in the Cathedral notes that he was Vestryman and Church Warden 1902-1945, Advocate of the Diocese 1903-1945 and Registrar 1907-1945.

    . No 5, Holy Trinity House, was commenced in 1946. It was a hostel for country boys coming to Wangaratta to study at the High School or Technical School. Before it was built twenty-one boys had boarded at the rectory. With transport made easier by school buses and private cars, the need for accommodation later diminished, and in 1986 the building became the Trinity Community Drop In Centre.

    . No 3 was probably built c1948 as an annexe for the boys' hostel next door, perhaps as the Warden's house. It is now the Choirmaster's house.

    . No 7, the last house to be built in The Close, was built in 1950, also as an annexe to the boys' hostel next door. It is now a private house.

    The War Memorial Garden, a triangular area on the corner of Docker and Ovens Street, in front of the Cathedral, was created in 1904 to the east of the old church as a setting for the Boer War monument, made by Hoskins & Co of Hawthorn, which was unveiled in 1903. In 1923 a larger monument, designed by Arthur Rundle and James McLeod, was set up to commemorate the local soldiers killed in WWI. Since then further panels have been added to this in memory of local soldiers who died in WWII and the Vietnam War. Specific Boer War memorials are quite unusual, and the presence of two separate war memorials placed side by side is even more so.

    Walter Butler (1864-1949) (information largely from Tibbitts, 'Walter Butler', Australian Dictionary of Biography)

    Walter Butler is regarded as one of Victoria's foremost architects. He was born in Somerset in 1864, and at fifteen he was articled to Alexander Lauder of Barnstaple. In 1885 he was encouraged by W R Lethaby to move to London and work with J D Sedding. He was accepted into the Arts and Crafts and domestic revival circles centred on William Morris and Richard Norman Shaw, and these early influences always dominated his work. In 1888 Butler left for Australia, perhaps at the prompting of the young Melbourne architect Beverley Ussher then visiting London. From 1889 to 1893 Butler was in partnership with Ussher. In 1896 he was joined by George Inskip but they parted in 1905, and he formed a partnership with Ernest Bradshaw which lasted from 1907 to 1916. After WWI he was in practice with his nephew Richard as W & R Butler, but from the 1920s, after the loss of his son in WWI, he started to relinquish his clients to his younger partners. In the late 1930s he was in partnership with Hugh Pettit, but he retired when Pettit enlisted for WWII. He was a superb draughtsman, and is reputed to have controlled all the designing and detailing in his office.

    Many of Butler's clients were wealthy businessmen and pastoralists for whom he designed grand houses in Melbourne and the country. He designed banks for the Union Bank of Australia, as well as several city office buildings. As architect to the Diocese of Melbourne from 1895 he designed the extensions to Bishopscourt (1902) in East Melbourne. As well as Wangaratta Cathedral his other church works includes St Albans Armadale (1899), and the colourful porch and tower to Christ Church Benalla (c1910).

    Louis Reginald Williams (1890- (from Coleman, 'Twentieth Century Churches in Victoria', 1996, pp 56-7.)

    'Born in Hobart in 1890, Louis Williams initially served articles with Frank Heyward of Richards & Heyward in Hobart. A particular interest in ecclesiastical work led him to complete his articles with Alexander North in Launceston. When North subsequently opened a practice in Melbourne in 1912-1913, Williams was appointed the junior partner. North himself retired at the end of World War One, while Williams continued to practise until March 1976, during which time he designed more than 130 churches, mainly Anglican, but also Presbyterian, Methodist and a Christian Science Church in Elsternwick. From 1961 to 1964 the practice became successively Louis Williams & Partners and then Louis Williams, Paul & Johnson.

    William's practice remained in Melbourne and he relocated his office from the city to his Brighton home in c1941. However he undertook much interstate work from c1920, including that completed as Diocesan architect for Bathurst and Grafton, and examples of his work can be found in each Commonwealth State.

    'In his ecclesiastical work Williams strove to find solutions to problems of space such as cramped sanctuaries and narrow chancels, and problems of lighting, such as glare from the traditional east window. Where possible he advocated such advances as placing the choir at the west end in a gallery or on a platform to create more space at the east end; where buttresses were required he aligned the wall to the outside; and he angled the east windows, often in vertical strips. Williams also attempted to introduce square headed windows in his work but often found he had to compromise, using low segmental or part semicircular arches.'

    Permit Exemptions

    HOLY TRINITY ANGLICAN CATHEDRAL CLOSE - Permit Exemptions

    General Exemptions:

    General exemptions apply to all places and objects included in the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR). General exemptions have been designed to allow everyday activities, maintenance and changes to your property, which don’t harm its cultural heritage significance, to proceed without the need to obtain approvals under the Heritage Act 2017.

    Places of worship: In some circumstances, you can alter a place of worship to accommodate religious practices without a permit, but you must notify the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria before you start the works or activities at least 20 business days before the works or activities are to commence.

    Subdivision/consolidation: Permit exemptions exist for some subdivisions and consolidations. If the subdivision or consolidation is in accordance with a planning permit granted under Part 4 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 and the application for the planning permit was referred to the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria as a determining referral authority, a permit is not required.

    Specific exemptions may also apply to your registered place or object. If applicable, these are listed below. Specific exemptions are tailored to the conservation and management needs of an individual registered place or object and set out works and activities that are exempt from the requirements of a permit. Specific exemptions prevail if they conflict with general exemptions.

    Find out more about heritage permit exemptions here.

    Specific Exemptions:

    General Conditions: 1. All exempted alterations are to be planned and carried out in a manner which prevents damage to the fabric of the registered place or object. General Conditions: 2. Should it become apparent during further inspection or the carrying out of works that original or previously hidden or inaccessible details of the place or object are revealed which relate to the significance of the place or object, then the exemption covering such works shall cease and the Executive Director shall be notified as soon as possible. Note: All archaeological places have the potential to contain significant sub-surface artefacts and other remains. In most cases it will be necessary to obtain approval from Heritage Victoria before the undertaking any works that have a significant sub-surface component. General Conditions: 3. If there is a conservation policy and plan approved by the Executive Director, all works shall be in accordance with it. Note: The existence of a Conservation Management Plan or a Heritage Action Plan endorsed by Heritage Victoria provides guidance for the management of the heritage values associated with the site. It may not be necessary to obtain a heritage permit for certain works specified in the management plan. General Conditions: 4. Nothing in this determination prevents the Executive Director from amending or rescinding all or any of the permit exemptions. General Conditions: 5. Nothing in this determination exempts owners or their agents from the responsibility to seek relevant planning or building permits from the responsible authorities where applicable. Minor Works : Note: Any Minor Works that in the opinion of the Executive Director will not adversely affect the heritage significance of the place may be exempt from the permit requirements of the Heritage Act. A person proposing to undertake minor works may submit a proposal to the Executive Director. If the Executive Director is satisfied that the proposed works will not adversely affect the heritage values of the site, the applicant may be exempted from the requirement to obtain a heritage permit. If an applicant is uncertain whether a heritage permit is required, it is recommended that the permits co-ordinator be contacted.

    Interior of Bishop's Lodge
    * Installation, removal or replacement of curtain track, rods, blinds and other window dressings.
    * Installation, removal or replacement of hooks, nails and other devices for the hanging of mirrors, paintings and other wall mounted artworks.
    * Removal of paint from originally unpainted or oiled joinery, doors, architraves and skirtings.
    * Painting of previously painted walls and ceiling provided that preparation or painting does not remove evidence of the original painting or other decorative scheme.
    * Installation, removal or replacement of carpets and flexible floor coverings.
    * Repair to existing heating or air conditioning systems
    * Installation, removal or replacement of kitchen benches, cupboards and fixtures including sinks, stoves, ovens refrigerators, dishwashers etc and associated plumbing and wiring.
    * Installation, removal and replacement of electrical wiring provided that all new wiring is fully concealed.
    * Installation, removal and replacement of bulk insulation in the roof space.
    * Installation, removal and replacement of smoke detectors

    Landscape Permit Exemptions

    * Repairs, conservation, and maintenance to hard landscape elements, buildings and structures, fountains and monuments, steps, paths, paths and gutters, drainage and irrigation systems, edging, fences and gates.
    * The process of gardening; mowing, hedge clipping, bedding displays, removal of dead plants, disease and weed control, emergency and safety garden works
    * New or replacement planting which conserves the historic landscape character including specimen trees, avenues, rows, shrubberies flower beds, and lawns.
    * Management of trees in accordance with Australian Standard; Pruning of Amenity Trees AS 4373.
    * Installation, removal or replacement of garden watering and drainage systems outside the canopy edge of significant trees.
    * Vegetation protection and management of the possum population.
    * Removal of plants listed as noxious weeds in the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994

    Interiors of B2, B3, B4, B5, B6, B8, B9andB10

    Any works to the interiors of these places

    Construction of a new Parish Office as shown on drawings by Tracey Toohey Design & Drafting dated January 2006 and marked 06529-01 to 06529-04.

    Permit Exemption Policy

    HOLY TRINITY ANGLICAN CATHEDRAL CLOSE - Permit Exemption Policy

    The cultural heritage significance of the Holy Trinity Anglican Cathedral Close is principally due to its planning as a cathedral close of the mid-twentieth century, its rarity and the intact nature of the site. Important elements include the cathedral and the other listed buildings, the exotic plantings, the war memorials, and the memorial entrance gates.The significance of the Cathedral lies in its architecture, its fine interior and its pipe organs.
    The purpose of the permit exemptions is to allow works that do not impact on the significance of the place to occur without the need for a permit. Alterations that impact on the significance of the exterior and interior of the Cathedral and the Bishop's Lodge are subject to permit applications, but changes may be made to the interiors of the other buildings without the need for a permit. Any new buildings on registered land or changes to the layout of the Close would require a permit. Works including demolition and internal modification (but not additions) to the adjacent buildings not listed in the extent of registration do not require a permit.

    
    

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