Shenton Methodist Church & Timber Hall (Now Geelong High School)
379 Ryrie Street, GEELONG VIC 3220 - Property No 217794
City East Heritage Area
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Statement of Significance
STATEMENT OF SIGNFICANCE
The former Shenton Methodist Church and Hall buildings at 379 Ryrie Street, Geelong have significance as a legacy of the development of the Methodist Church in the area in the early 20th century, and as important examples of the interwar Gothic and Federation Carpenter Gothic architectural styles respectively. With the hall built originally in 1863 (and altered and extended in 1868 and 1903) and the Church in 1937, both buildings appear to be in good condition when viewed from the street.
The former Shenton Methodist Church building at 379 Ryrie Street is architecturally significant at a LOCAL level. It demonstrates original design qualities of an interwar Gothic style. These qualities include the steeply pitched gable roof forms that project towards the street frontages, curved apse that projects towards the Garden Street frontage, porch on the Ryrie Street facade, projecting side entrance to the north of the main building, tiled roof cladding, narrow eaves and the unpainted brick wall construction. Other intact or appropriate qualities include the diagonally-oriented, unpainted brick piers that punctuate the main gables and building corners, projecting brick courses near the rooflines of the gable ends, battlemented parapets to the apse and projecting porches, pointed windows and the diamond leadlights.
The former Shenton Hall at 379 Ryrie Street is architecturally significant at a LOCAL level. Although altered and extended with the incorporation of the former North Geelong multi-purpose building at the rear, the hall still demonstrates original design qualities of a Victorian and Federation Carpenter Gothic style. These qualities include the dominant broken back gable roof form, horizontal weatherboard wall cladding, galvanised corrugated steel roof cladding and the front projecting gable porch surmounted by the small timber framed bellcote. Other intact or appropriate qualities include the timber framed, multi-paned pointed windows, timber shingling, timber porch gable infill and the rear gable form and construction of the former North Geelong Primary School multi-purpose building.
The former Shenton Methodist Church and Hall at 379 Ryrie Street are historically significant at a LOCAL level. They are associated with and are a legacy of the development of the Methodist Church in the local area from 1863 until c.1975. The Church building also has associations with the Geelong architect, Frederick Purnell.
The former Shenton Methodist Church and Hall at 379 Ryrie Street are socially significant at a LOCAL level. Although no longer functioning as church buildings, they are still recognised by some sections of the Geelong community for their past religious purposes. They are now also recognised and valued for educational reasons, being associated with the Geelong High School.
Overall, the former Shenton Methodist Church and Hall at 379 Ryrie Street are of LOCAL significance.
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Shenton Methodist Church & Timber Hall (Now Geelong High School) - Physical Description 1
The former Shenton Methodist Church and Church Hall at 379 Ryrie Street, Geelong, are located on a prominent corner site at the intersection of Ryrie and Garden Streets. The Church is situated nearest the corner and has modest front setbacks, while the timber hall is located at the rear (north) of the Church.
Church Building
The unpainted brick, interwar Gothic Revival styled former Church building is characterised by steeply pitched gable roof forms that project towards the street frontages, together with a curved apse that projects towards the Garden Street frontage and a porch on the Ryrie Street facade. There is also a projecting side entrance to the north of the main building. The steeply pitched roof forms are clad in tiles and there are narrow eaves.
The verticality of the design is accentuated by the early, diagonally-oriented, unpainted brick piers that punctuate the main gables and building corners. The gable ends are also denoted by the projecting brick courses near the rooflines. Both the apse and Ryrie Street entrance porch and side (Garden Street) entrance have battlemented parapets that enhance the picturesqueness of the design.
Other early features of the design include the pointed lancet windows in the gable ends, and the small pointed windows in the space and entrances. These windows also feature early diamond leadlights.
The cantilevering verandah over the Ryrie Street entrance appear to have been introduced.
Hall Building
The former Shenton Methodist Church Hall has a frontage to Garden Street. The single storey, horizontal weatherboard, Victorian and Federation Carpenter Gothic styled building is characterised by a dominant broken back gable roof form, together with a rear gable roof that traverses the site (this rear roof form comprises the former multi-purpose building from North Geelong Primary School). These roof forms are clad in galvanised corrugated steel. The main building has early timber framed, multi-paned pointed windows and the walls are decorated by early timber shingling.
An early feature of the design is the projecting gable porch surmounted by a small early timber framed bellcote.
Another early feature is the timber gable infill to the porch gable end.Shenton Methodist Church & Timber Hall (Now Geelong High School) - Physical Description 2
Church: largely intact with Gothic detailing, clinker brick with steeply pitched gable roof clad in glazed, terracotta tiles, prominent oblique brick piers extend above the eaves, curved apse to Garden Street, windows with pointed arches, diamond quarrels & coloured glass, framed timber doors, later cantilevered awning to front.
Hall: Federation Gothic, beaded weatherboards, broken-back gable roof clad in corrugated metal sheeting, pointed arch timber windows, gabled entry with timber framed flèche. Earlier gable hall to rear with multi-paned sash windows. Another early weatherboard hall survives between the hall & the manse.
Heritage Study and Grading
Greater Geelong - Geelong Region Historic Buildings and Objects Study Volume 2
Author: Allan Willingham
Year: 1986
Grading: CGreater Geelong - Geelong City Urban Conservation Study, Volumes 2-5
Author: Graeme Butler
Year: 1991
Grading: CGreater Geelong - Geelong City Urban Conservation Study Volume 1
Author: Graeme Butler
Year: 1993
Grading: CGreater Geelong - Geelong City Urban Conservation Study, Volume 4(a)
Author: Helen Lardner
Year: 1995
Grading: C
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FIRST CUSTOMS HOUSEVictorian Heritage Register H0185
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FORMER SCOTTISH CHIEFS HOTELVictorian Heritage Register H0662
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CORIO VILLAVictorian Heritage Register H0193
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