CHRIST CHURCH
8 MOSTYN STREET CASTLEMAINE, MOUNT ALEXANDER SHIRE
-
Add to tour
You must log in to do that.
-
Share
-
Shortlist place
You must log in to do that.
- Download report
Statement of Significance
STATEMENT OF CULTURAL HERITAGE SIGNIFICANCE:
The foundation stone for Christ Church, Castlemaine was laid on February 24th 1854 by Anglican Bishop Perry but it was not completed until 1858. The delay, mainly caused by problems with the foundation, resulted in legal action between the trustees and the architects, Burgoyne and Poeppel. The church is a Gothic style stone building comprising a nave, chancel, transept and vestry. The flags in the church are from regiments which served in Victoria during the gold rush days. The present pipe organ was built by George Fincham in 1888 and re-built in 1953 with further restoration in 1992. The chancel and vestry were added in 1892. The large east window was placed as a memorial of sixty years of Queen Victoria's reign in 1897.
Christ Church is of historic and architectural significance to the State of Victoria.
Christ Church, built on Agitation Hill where the diggers gathered to protest about conditions on the goldfield, is historically important for its associations with the early history of Castlemaine from the time in March 1852 when the Bishop of Melbourne, Bishop Perry, preached from a tree stump on Forest Creek field. Christ Church is one of the oldest substantial churches on the Victorian goldfields and is particularly notable for its relative intactness.
Christ Church is architecturally significant for its use of local sandstone, its rose window and its detailing, including the carved faces on the crockets. Notable interior features include the timber pews, the baptismal font, the creed and commandments panels in the chancel, the lettering around the chancel arch and nave walls, the George Fincham organ of 1888, and the stained glass including the rose window.
-
-
CHRIST CHURCH - History
Contextual History:History of Place:
In 1852 the first Anglican Bishop of Melbourne, Bishop Perry preached a sermon from a tree stump on Forest Creek field. Soon, other denominations established themselves. The first Anglican church was in an old wooden store on the Camp Reserve. Bishop Perry laid the foundation stone for the present church on the steep rise known as Agitation Hill on February 27th 1854. Agitation Hill, a curious choice for Anglicans, was the place where diggers would gather to protest against the injustices meted out to them by English law.
The church was built by contractors Baker and Price to a design by architects Burgoyne and Poeppel. The church was not completed until 1858 and the delay became the subject of court action between the trustees and the architects. The architects were accused of delaying construction by failing to provide drawings and being negligent after a fault was found in the foundations. The builder testified in court that he “would never have put such a building on such a foundation, but would have pointed out the defects of the foundation to the trustees.”
The church was finally completed in 1858 and consecrated on February 21st 1858 by the Bishop of the diocese. The Mount Alexander Mail diplomatically reported that the church had “occupied a very long time in its erection, but is an elegant, substantial, and commodious edifice.”
The sanctuary and vestry were added in 1892. The sanctuary was consecrated by Canon Chalmers on 6th July 1892. The present organ chamber was built in 1896 and the organ transferred from the old gallery at a cost of £150.
The pipe organ was built by George Fincham in 1888 and re-built in 1953 with further restoration in 1994.
The large east window was placed as a memorial of sixty years of Queen Victoria’s reign in 1897.
COMPARISON:
Christ Church is one of the earliest substantial churches on the Victorian gold fields. Other churches of comparable age include:
Presbyterian Church, Lyttleton Street, Castlemaine, 1855 (H448). Architect unknown, Colonial Georgian style.
Christ Church Cathedral, Lydiard Street, Ballarat, 1854-57. Designed by Backhouse and Reynolds, this church has had later additions, particularly an unsympathetic modern porch.
Christ Church, Ford Street, Beechworth, 1858 and 1864 (H346). Designed by Leonard Terry, its distinctive character is derived from its use of local granite.
Former Wesleyan Church, Ford Street, Beechworth, 1857 (H523). Architect unknown, simple stone church distinguished by angled corner buttresses with stylised pinnacles.
The present rectory on the site was built in 1913 and the original rectory was demolished in the 1970s.
Associated People: Owner ANGLICAN CHURCH;CHRIST CHURCH - 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:EXEMPTIONS FROM PERMITS:
(Classes of works or activities which may be undertaken without a permit under
Part 4 of the Heritage Act 1995)
General Conditions:
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.
Should it become apparent during further inspection or the carrying out of
alterations 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 alteration shall cease and the
Executive Director shall be notified as soon as possible.
If there is a conservation policy and plan approved by the Executive Director,
all works shall be in accordance with it.
Nothing in this declaration prevents the Executive Director from amending or
rescinding all or any of the permit exemptions.
Nothing in this declaration exempts owners or their agents from the
responsibility to seek relevant planning or building permits from the
responsible authority where applicable.
Exterior:
Minor repairs and maintenance which replace like with like.
Installation or repair of damp-proofing by either injection method or grouted
pocket method.
Regular garden maintenance.
Installation, removal or replacement of garden watering systems.
Laying or repair of gravel/toppings to the driveway.
All works other than additions to the rectory.
-
-
-
-
-
FLOUR MILLVictorian Heritage Register H0395
-
BANK OF NEW SOUTH WALESVictorian Heritage Register H0131
-
FORMER CBC BANKVictorian Heritage Register H0712
-
..estervilleYarra City
-
1 Alfred CrescentYarra City
-
1 Barkly StreetYarra City
-
-