ST PATRICK'S CATHOLIC CHURCH (FORMER)
144 PRINCES HIGHWAY, PAKENHAM, CARDINIA SHIRE
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Statement of Significance
What is significant?
The former St Patricks Catholic Church at 144 Princes Highway, Pakenham. It is a small rendered Tudor Gothic Revival chapel with a gabled parapet front built in 1872, with a vestry added in 1897 to the design of architect TA Payne of Brunswick. There is also a recent addition, on the east side, which is not significant. The interior has been extensively altered for use as a classroom.
How is it significant?
The former St Patricks Catholic Church is of local historic and architectural significance to Cardinia Shire.
Why is it significant?
Historically, as the first Catholic Church built in Gippsland. Before its construction worship was led by a priest who rode from Brighton to celebrate mass in a private home (the Dore property at Nar Nar Goon). Locals aspired to a permanent public building, and their application for land was finally successful in 1864. (RNE criteria B.2, A.4)
Architecturally, as substantially intact early church in the Tudor Gothic style, by prolific Catholic Church architect TA Payne of Brunswick. (RNE criteria E.1, H.1)
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ST PATRICK'S CATHOLIC CHURCH (FORMER) - Physical Description 1
The former St Patricks Catholic Church is a small Tudor Gothic Revival chapel with a gabled parapet front. It is set next to a school building (which replaced an earlier convent building, demolished c2005). The steeply pitched roof of the church is covered in terracotta tiles (not original), and the masonry walls are finished with ruled render. The faade features a parapeted gabled porch at the centre, above which are three lancet windows with render labels. At the top of the gable is a render Celtic cross. The door into the porch also has a pointed arch and a label. All windows and doors to the church are lancet in form and have moulded render labels with intricate bosses at either end. The east side elevation has four bays, delineated by stepped buttresses. Between the buttresses are large lancet windows. The third bay from the front is concealed behind a small gabled extension (not original). The west side elevation also has three windows and in the third bay from the front there is a small gabled vestry, with a door and window on the north (rear) side. This is probably the extension designed by TA Payne in 1897. There is a small chimney in the gable end. At the rear of the church is a three-sided apse, continuous with the body of the church. There is a stepped buttress at each corner and a lance window in each bay (the central, rear window is blank).
The side and rear elevation windows have a double casement with a transom in the form of two lancet heads, in a simplified version of Gothic tracery. Some of the transoms still have diamond- shaped panes.
A modern concrete ramp leads to front entrance. The extension on the east side is a later addition. Apart from these alterations, and the later glazed terracotta tiles, the exterior of the church is very intact. When inspected in 2006 it was in fair to good condition, but works were about to begin to the external joinery, rainwater goods, and render (funded by a Council grant).
The interior is used for school purposes, has a dropped ceiling and appears to have retained little original detail.
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