UNITING CHURCH
3229 PORTLAND-CASTERTON ROAD, DIGBY, GLENELG SHIRE
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Statement of Significance
St. Andrew's Uniting Church, Digby was built in 1908 as a Presbyterian Church and is located on the highest point in the town. It seems unlikely that there was an earlier building. It is a simple but fine building in a hybrid of the Carpenter Romanesque and Queen Anne Revival styles, perhaps reflecting a decline in the fashion for the Gothic Revival taste. The church is built of timber, now painted white with blue details. The church has a rectangular nave with a small entrance porch and an off-centered vestry. The semi-circular arched windows have glazing subdivided into central panes of clear glass and borders of 'Murano' pressed glass in different colours. The marble foundation stone was 'laid' by William McKay Shaw, the owner of Rifle Downs, one of the most important pastoral properties in the district. The builder was Charles Kohn of Merino. The building is in very good condition and retains an excellent degree of integrity.
How is it Significant?
The Uniting Church is of historical, social and architectural significance to the Glenelg Shire.
Why is it Significant?
St. Andrew's Uniting Church, Digby is of historical significance as an example of the consolidation of Presbyterian faith in the Digby area from the 1900s, notwithstanding the steady decline of the town from the 1870s. The church is of social significance to the community of Digby and as the focus for Presbyterians who settled in the area from the 1900s. It is of further social significance for its association with the owners of Rifle Downs, William McKay Shaw and Elsie McKenzie Shaw. It is of architectural significance for its use of a non-Gothic style, reflecting a change in taste by the Presbyterian Church.
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UNITING CHURCH - Physical Description 1
The Uniting Church is a timber building in a hybrid of the Carpenter Romanesque Revival and Queen Anne styles. The building is situated on an elevated site on the south-west corner of the Portland-Casterton Road and Hamilton-Dartmoor Road, Digby. The church is aligned east-west. It has a rectangular nave which measures approximately 7.0m x 13.0m. On the north and south walls, the four tall windows have semi-circular arches. The glazing is subdivided into central panes of clear glass surrounded by smaller panes of 'Murano' textured glass in alternating colours: green, yellow and purple, which was popular at the time of construction. The windows have timber sills. There is a small square porch on the east wall and an off-centered vestry measuring 2.5m x 3.0m on the west wall. The building has a gabled roof pitched at 45 degrees, which has been replaced with blue Colorbond© sheets and guttering. The main gable is decorated with open half-timbering in the upper third, and a segmental arch which joins the bargeboards. The front porch has a gabled roof similar to that of the main building. There is a window on the east wall of the porch and a segmental arched timber door on the north. There is a tall arched window on the north side of the porch, glazed like the nave windows. A marble foundation stone is set into the lower right side of the facade.
The vestry has a gabled roof. There is a segmental arched timber door on the north wall and a window on the west. On the south wall of the vestry, there is a triangular 'arched' timber door. There is a corrugated iron water tank on a timber stand, next to the door.
The marble plaque on the east wall is inscribed 'THIS TABLET WAS LAID BY/ W. McK. SHAW,/ 11TH MARCH 1908.'
There is a plaque on the fence inscribed " IN HONOURED MEMORY AND/ APPRECIATION OF THOSE WHO/ HAVE SERVED THIS CHURCH/ 1962/ JOHN & ANNIE ALLARDICE/ HEDLEY & FLORENCE ANDERSON/ WILLIAM BRUNTON/ LILY CAMERON/ JAMES & SUSANNAH LAWTON/ WILLIAM McCALLUM/ JOHN & MARGARET McCLINTOCK/ GAVIN & MARY SHAW/ WILLIAM & ELSIE SHAW/ PETER & JANET TURNERUNITING CHURCH - Historical Australian Themes
8. DEVELOPING AUSTRALIA'S CULTURAL LIFE
8.6: Worshipping
8.6.1: Worshipping together
8.6.2: Maintaining religious traditions and ceremonies
8.6.3: Founding Australian religious institutions
8.6.4: Making places for worship
8.6.5: EvangelisingHeritage Study and Grading
Glenelg - Glenelg Shire Heritage Study Part One
Author: Carlotta Kellaway, David Rhodes Mandy Jean
Year: 2002
Grading:Glenelg - Glenelg Heritage Study Stage Two (a)
Author: Heritage Matters
Year: 2006
Grading:
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