St Paul's Anglican Church Complex
38 High Street, INVERLEIGH VIC 3321 - Property No 23601182
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Statement of Significance
What is Significant?
The St. Paul's Anglican Church complex, 38 High Street, Inverleigh, has significance as one of the few and earliest church building complexes in the Golden Plains Shire, comprising a distinctive and predominantly intact Victorian Early English Gothic styled church building, moderately intact Victorian styled Vicarage and rudimentary Victorian styled timber hall (albeit altered). Initially established on another site in 1858, the existing church was built in 1889 to a design by the Melbourne architect, A.E. Clarke. Stone from the original building was used in the construction of the new church that was largely funded by the generous benefactor and parishioner, Mrs Mary Moriarty. Both the exterior and interior fabric of the church are predominantly intact, including the steeply-pitched gabled roof forms clad in dichromatic slate, crowning pressed metal belfry with louvred timber arcades and bellcast spire, and the distinctive front entrance porch with unusual quatrefoil and trefoil fretwork. The stained glass windows, decorative banding with trefoil motifs above the buttresses on the east and west elevation and the rear gabled chancel and early skillion vestry represent other significant fabric. The importance of the intact interior is borne out in the elaborate timber-lined ceiling with king post timber trusses featuring quatrefoil infill flanking the struts, hard plastered walls, decorative stencilling in the timber beams above the walls, stained glassed windows (including the elaborate stained glass chancel window added between 1937 and 1941) and the original and early furniture (including the timber pews flanking the central aisle, oak lectern, and the timber altar, rails and reredos in the sanctuary). The timber First World War Honour Board is an important addition to the interior, as is the furniture introduced in the chancel during the incumbency of the Rev. R.C. Findlay (1936-42). The original front stone portion of the Vicarage and the rear additions of 1898 (including the projecting bay on the east side) and the main gabled portion of the hall also contribute to the significance of the place. The hipped-roofed stone Vicarage at the rear of the church and the central gabled portion of the adjacent timber hall represent other significant fabric on the site.
How is it Significant?
The St. Paul's Anglican Church complex, Inverleigh, is architecturally, historically and socially significant at a local level.
Why is it Significant?
The St. Paul's Anglican Church complex, Inverleigh, is historically significant (Practice Note Criteria A & H) for its associations with the development and witness of the Anglican Church in the town since the construction of the church in 1889. Numerous clergy and parishioners have played an important role the life of the local Anglican community. Of particular importance are the associations with Mrs Mary Charlotte Moriarty of "Lullote" homestead, a parishioner and generous benefactor who funded the bulk of the church construction and the original furniture. The earliest curate and later Vicar, the Rev. Alexander Maxwell was also responsible for the building of the church and the establishment of the early gardens (now largely removed). St. Paul's Church also has associations with the Melbourne architect, Arthur E. Clarke, being his earliest-known Anglican Church design and only one of two Anglican Churches known to have been designed by him in Victoria. The St. Paul's Vicarage has associations with the original landholder and owner the site and dwelling, Dr Frederick Willders, early medical practitioner of Inverleigh between 1857 and 1861.
The St. Paul's Anglican Church, Inverleigh, is architecturally significant (Practice Note Criteria D & E) as one of the most distinctive and intact examples of the Victorian Early English Gothic styled churches in the Golden Plains Shire. The crowning tower and the front entrance porch are particularly unusual. The church building is also the earliest-known design of the architect, A.E. Clarke, and it is directly comparable with his design of St. Paul's Anglican Church, Blackburn, built at the same time as St. Paul's, Inverleigh. The Inverleigh church is the more substantial, elaborate and distinctive, given the decorative detailing, spire and front porch.
The St. Paul's Anglican Church Vicarage, Inverleigh, is architecturally significant (Practice Note Criterion D) as a moderately intact example of a Victorian styled dwelling in Inverleigh. The original hipped portion at the front, constructed of stone and featured projecting faceted bay windows, is especially reflective of the Victorian design. The rear hipped additions, including the side projecting wing with faceted bay, also make an important contribution as a legacy of the evolution of the dwelling as a Vicarage.
The timber hall, albeit altered, also makes an architectural contribution to the site.
The St. Paul's Anglican Church complex, Inverleigh, is socially significant (Practice Note Criterion G) as it is recognised and valued by sections of the local community for religious reasons, as a symbol of their faith and their history of local participation in faith education. The church interior includes a timber honour board of those parishioners of Inverleigh who fought in the First World War. This honour board therefore has commemorative value.
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Heritage Study and Grading
Golden Plains - Golden Plains Shire Heritage Study Phase 1
Author: Lorraine Huddle P/L
Year: 2003
Grading:
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INVERLEIGH BRIDGEVictorian Heritage Inventory
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21 COMMON ROAD INVERLEIGHVictorian Heritage Inventory
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Inverleigh BridgeGolden Plains Shire
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