ST PAUL'S CHURCH OF ENGLAND & PARISH HALL
28 & 30 VICTORIA ROAD, LOCH, SOUTH GIPPSLAND SHIRE
Loch Village
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Statement of Significance
- The semi-octagonal apse at the east end, and the vestry on the south side.
- The steep roof, which is continuous with the apse, and has expressed rafter tails of simple form (also used on the hipped roofs of the porch and vestry) and an original ridge ventilator.
- The wall bays, which are expressed by shallow, narrow engaged buttresses, finished in the same roughcast render as the rest of the walls.
- The masonry steps to the entrance with a metal pipe railing that appears to be original.
- The windows to the sides and apse, which have pointed heads in moulded surrounds. Some windows are paired, each with a pointed head inscribed within a larger pointed-head surround. Between their pointed heads is a small, diamond shaped window, which is a very idiosyncratic detail, abstracting Gothic tracery forms. The paired windows to the apse also have an applied trefoil detail to the top sashes.
- The dedication stone dated 4 November 1926 below the North -Eastern apse window.
Non-original alterations and additions are not significant.
Aesthetically, the church is the finest example in South Gippsland Shire of an Interwar Arts & Crafts Gothic church, and a building whose modest size belies its sophisticated detailing. It is one of a series of churches designed by Gawler & Drummond that demonstrate their skill with the Arts & Crafts. Notable features include the Jerkinhead gable, the piers that extend above the eaves, the finely detailed windows with abstracted Gothic tracery forms, and the tall window to the west facade with heavy projecting mullion and transom that forms a large cross. The church is an historic landmark that, along with the adjacent Parish Hall, contributes to the character of Loch. (Criterion E)
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ST PAUL'S CHURCH OF ENGLAND & PARISH HALL - Physical Description 1
St Paul's Church of England at Loch is a small interwar Arts & Crafts Gothic masonry church with walls finished in roughcast render. It is located on the south-west corner of Victoria Road and Clarence Street with its principal facade facing west, toward the former church hall. This facade is dominated by a jerkin-head gable instead of the simple gable usually seen on churches. The jerkin-head gable is medieval in origin, seen extensively in Central Europe, and was popular for Arts & Crafts designs both of residences and public buildings.
The building has a semi-octagonal apse at the east end, an enclosed entrance porch on the north side, facing Victoria Road, and a vestry on the south side. The steep roof is continuous with the apse, and it has expressed rafter tails of simple form. The hipped roofs of the porch and vestry have the same rafter tails. The wall bays are expressed by shallow, narrow engaged buttresses, finished in the same roughcast render as the rest of the walls. The entrance porch has a steep hipped roof pierced by piers that extend above its eaves, in a form characteristic of the Arts & Crafts style. The piers are rendered the same as the rest of the building and have small tile detail near the top. The entrance is reached via masonry steps with a metal pipe railing that appears to be original. The entrance to the porch is through double ledged doors set within a pointed-arched opening with a smooth rendered surround. The windows to the sides and apse also have pointed heads in moulded surrounds. Some windows are paired, each with a pointed head inscribed within a larger pointed-head surround. Between their pointed heads is a small, diamond shaped window, which is a very idiosyncratic detail, abstracting Gothic tracery forms. The paired windows to the apse also have an applied trefoil detail to the top sashes. Below the northeastern apse window is the dedication stone, dated 4 November 1926.
The window to the principal, west, facade differs from the rest of the building. It is quite tall and takes up most of this elevation, with three lower panes and two highlights divided by a heavy projecting mullion and transom that forms a large cross. This is echoed by a small metal cross on the roof. The eaves framing this window have expressed purlins and decorative timber brackets.
The church has extremely high external intactness, retaining its original unpainted roughcast render and short-sheet corrugated iron roofing as well as the ridge ventilator.
The former Parish Hall, built in 1958, a simple gabled structure with roughcast rendered walls linking it visually to the church. It stands on the west side of the church. Originally, the only feature of the gable-fronted facade was a recessed porch reached by a short flight of steps with double timber ledged doors, with a simple flat hood sheltering the entrance. The side elevations had small double-hung sash windows, singly and in pairs. The roof is clad with corrugated metal, with a metal ridge vent.
The hall has been converted into a residence, involving a suite of external (and internal) alterations. This included the creation of a large opening for French doors and balcony in the front gable above the entrance, and enlargement of all but one of the windows on the east side elevation nearest the church. The roof was clad in new corrugated steel, but the metal ridgeline vent was retained (or renewed). A timber paling fence was erected between the hall and the church, interrupting the visual connection between them.
Heritage Study and Grading
South Gippsland - South Gippsland Heritage Study
Author: David Helms with Trevor Westmore
Year: 2004
Grading:
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