two old churches

18May09

My wife and I have just taken a visit to an old township in rural New South Wales. Not that it is extremely rural – we went to Wollombi, just a little inland, in the foothills of the Watagan Mountains that form part of the Great Dividing Range running down eastern Australia.

Here’s a great Web site to tell you all about Wollombi and the district.

While there is a lot to talk about, one thing that struck me was the wonderful condition of two old churches (actually from the mid-late 19th century).

“Old”, that is, in the white Australian context, where Captain Cook first raised the flag in 1770, and “the first fleet” arrived in Sydney in 1788:

“Between 1788 and 1850 the English sent over 162,000 convicts to Australia in 806 ships. The first eleven of these ships are today known as the First Fleet and contained the convicts and marines that are now acknowledged as the Founders of Australia.”

(At that time, there were up to 400,000 aboriginal people, who had been here for a very long time – some say 40,000 years or more.)

So the township of Wollombi and these churches are only old in a very limited and colonial sense.

Getting distracted by the history …

The buildings that caught my attention are the late 19th century Anglican and Catholic church buildings:

St John’s Anglican Church

Small stone church. The foundation stone was laid in 1846 and the church was consecrated in 1849 (from a notice outside the church). Architecturally it is a well built, excellently preserved stone building.

From the Heritage listing:

Simple village church; rectangular plan with projecting porch; vestry and chancel lit by single lancet windows. Gable ornamented by small belfry at one end and stone cross at the other. Built of local sandstone. Simple pitched iron roof. Internal fittings and pews of the finest cedar. Approached through a characteristic picket fence under a fine wrought iron lantern. Church is in original condition.

St Michael’s Catholic Church

Small dressed sandstone church incorporating stone from 1840-43 church on floodprone site nearby. The foundation stone of Saint Michael’s Catholic Church was laid in 1840 but was moved following damage in the 1893 flood to it’s present location. Significant for its contribution to historic character in important historic village, and for its fine modest architecture.

What struck me most about these buildings was the lovely condition they are in. They look as if they could have been built only a few years ago. Of course, as a city boy, I am more used to the stain of the city pollution spoiling the appearance of such beautiful stone buildings.

Here’s a detail of the stonework from the St John’s church:

Beautifully coloured stone, as clean as anything. I’m interested in what look like pick or chisel marks on the face of the stone but do not know how it was worked to make these marks.

Next time I am in the area, I shall see if I can get inside to have a look. For example, I would like to see “the finest cedar” in St John’s.

Here’s a link to Australia’s cedar (Wikipedia). And check this out for a history of cedar logging in this area.

Filed under: australia, countryside, new south wales, old buildings, photography   |  Leave a Comment
Tags: australian cedar, new south wales, old anglican church, old catholic church, old church, sandstone, sandstone buildings, Wollombi