ST GEORGES UNITING CHURCH
4 CHAPEL STREET ST KILDA, PORT PHILLIP CITY
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Statement of Significance
What is significant?
St George's Uniting Church, St Kilda was built on land reserved in Chapel Street for the Presbyterian Church of Victoria in 1866. Ten years later the first services were held in the orderly room and advances were made towards the erection of a church. The architect Albert Purchas was commissioned to design the building and the foundation stone for the western portion of the nave was laid in April 1877 by Sir James McCulloch. The congregation quickly outgrew this church and the building was enlarged and reopened in 1880.
The former Presbyterian Church is constructed in a polychromatic Gothic Revival style, in the tradition of such English specialists as William Butterfield and John L. Pearson. It is a red brick building, relieved by cream brick contrasts and freestone dressings, with slate roof, prominent roof vents, iron ridge cresting and fleche at the intersection of the nave and transepts. The front facade of the church incorporates a slender, banded octagonal tower which terminates in a spire, a double arched portal and a dominant rose window which is contained within a curved triangular form. The church is of T-shaped plan, with aisleless nave, broad transepts, and internal walls of cream brick, relieved with coloured brickwork. The building contains stained glass by Ferguson and Urie, deal and kauri pine joinery and pulpit and reredos of Keene's cement.
An organ by Thomas C. Lewis of London, one of the leading 19th century English organbuilders, was installed in the south transept in 1882. It was designed to blend with its architectural setting, with pipework styled to avoid the obstruction of windows. The action of this organ was altered in 1935, but the pipework, and the original sound, have been retained.
The original Sunday School hall, constructed to the rear of the property in 1886, was destroyed by fire in 1927 and subsequently replaced.
How is it significant?
St George's Uniting Church, Chapel Street, St Kilda is of architectural, historical and scientific (technical) significance to the State of Victoria.
Why is it significant?
St George's Uniting Church, St Kilda is of architectural significance as a fine example of the polychromatic Gothic Revival style and is important for its early use of polychromy both internally and externally. The bold features of the front facade, particularly the tall, banded tower, are striking and unusual. The retention of original joinery, fixtures and stained glass is important.
St George's Uniting Church, St Kilda is of historical significance for its association with the Presbyterian Church for whom it was first built. It demonstrates both the increasing wealth among Presbyterians and the competition with other Protestant denominations, particularly during the 1870s and 1880s.
The organ is of scientific (technical) and historical significance as an important and rare surviving work of T. C. Lewis. Despite alterations, the organ appears not to have been revoiced and therefore retains its original sound. The only other Lewis organ in Victoria is at St Paul's Cathedral, Melbourne (VHR H0018).
[Online Data Upgrade Project 2007]
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ST GEORGES UNITING CHURCH - History
St George's Uniting Church, St Kilda was built on land reserved in Chapel Street for the Presbyterian Church of Victoria in 1866. Ten years later the first services were held in the orderly room and advances were made towards the erection of a church. The architect Albert Purchas was commissioned to design the building and the foundation stone for the western portion of the nave was laid in April 1877 by Sir James McCulloch. The congregation quickly outgrew this church and the building was enlarged and reopened in 1880.
The draft statement of significance and the above history were produced as part of an Online Data Upgrade Project 2007. Sources were as follows:
J. Mills. St George's Presbyterian Church: the first one hundred years. Melbourne 1977
St George's Presbyterian Church. A Short History of St George's. Melbourne 1992
J. Stiller. St George's Uniting Church, St Kilda East, Victoria. Documentation of Pipe Organ built by T. C. Lewis 1881. Camberwell 1980ST GEORGES UNITING 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:General Conditions: 1. 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. General Conditions: 2. Should it become apparent during further inspection or the carrying out of works 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 works shall cease and Heritage Victoria shall be notified as soon as possible. Note: All archaeological places have the potential to contain significant sub-surface artefacts and other remains. In most cases it will be necessary to obtain approval from the Executive Director, Heritage Victoria before the undertaking any works that have a significant sub-surface component.General Conditions: 3. If there is a conservation policy and planall works shall be in accordance with it. Note:A Conservation Management Plan or a Heritage Action Plan provides guidance for the management of the heritage values associated with the site. It may not be necessary to obtain a heritage permit for certain works specified in the management plan.
General Conditions: 4. Nothing in this determination prevents the Executive Director from amending or rescinding all or any of the permit exemptions. General Conditions: 5. Nothing in this determination exempts owners or their agents from the responsibility to seek relevant planning or building permits from the responsible authorities where applicable. Minor Works : Note: Any Minor Works that in the opinion of the Executive Director will not adversely affect the heritage significance of the place may be exempt from the permit requirements of the Heritage Act. A person proposing to undertake minor works must submit a proposal to the Executive Director. If the Executive Director is satisfied that the proposed works will not adversely affect the heritage values of the site, the applicant may be exempted from the requirement to obtain a heritage permit. If an applicant is uncertain whether a heritage permit is required, it is recommended that the permits co-ordinator be contacted.
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FORMER PRIORY LADIES SCHOOLVictorian Heritage Register H0726
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BELMONT FLATSVictorian Heritage Register H0805
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THE MANSEVictorian Heritage Register H0212
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