St John's Anglican Church, Albany Explained

St John's Anglican Church, Albany
Coordinates:-35.0256°N 117.8833°W
Location:York Street,, Western Australia
Country:Australia
Denomination:Anglican
Dedication:St John the Evangelist
Consecrated Date:25 October 1848
Status:Church
Functional Status:Active
Years Built:1841–44
Materials:Stone, shingles
Parish:Albany
Diocese:Bunbury
Province:Western Australia
Priest:Rev Karen Cave
Embedded:
Embed:yes
Designation1:State Register of Heritage Places
Designation1 Offname:St John's Church
Designation1 Type:State Registered Place
Designation1 Date:9 February 1996
Designation1 Partof:St John's Church Group

St John's Anglican Church, also known as St John the Evangelist Anglican Church, is a heritage-listed Anglican church on York Street in, Western Australia. The church is the oldest consecrated church in Western Australia, consecrated in October 1848.[1]

History

The church was built by the people of the town, with construction commencing in 1841[2] and completed in 1844. The church was consecrated on 25 October 1848 by Augustus Short, Bishop of Adelaide, who introduced John Ramsden Wollaston as its clergyman.[3] At this time the church would have been able to accommodate the entire population of the town, 170 people.[2]

Construction of the rectory commenced in 1850[2] and was completed the same year. Originally it was a single story stone building, however a second storey was added in 1875. A second rectory was built behind the original one in 1980.[2]

The first recorded Anzac dawn service was held by the church in 1930.[4]

The church, rectory, hall and peppermint trees were listed on the register of the National Trust in 1978.[5]

From 1968 to 1979 Warwick Bastian was the coadjutor bishop of Bunbury, with the title Bishop of Albany.[6] During that time, he based himself at St John's.[7]

Canon Edward Argyl was appointed as the parish priest in 2011 until his death in 2015.[4]

Description

The church is a stone building with gabled roofs covered in shingles.[5] The aisle of the church is made from 220NaN0 thick blocks that had been made in England.[8] The stone walls are 540mm thick and the building also has stone foundations; the stone was thought to be quarried from nearby Mount Melville and Mount Clarence. The walls are so thick that no buttresses are required.[5] The original building is now the nave of the present church, with the gallery behind built in 1852. The tower and porch were completed in 1853. The tower is topped with battlements on the parapet.[5]

See also

References

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Albany WA the most beautiful of Cities Western Australia. 9 August 2015. Albany Tourist Guide Association.
  2. Web site: Albany's Heritage Walk Trail. 9 August 2015. Albany Historical Society Inc.
  3. Web site: St John the Evangelist Anglican Church, York Street, Albany. 9 August 2015. May 2012. Organ historical Trust of Australia.
  4. Web site: Remembering Father Edward Argyle of Albany's St John's. Arnall, Karla . 29 June 2015. .
  5. Web site: St John's Church Group. 9 August 2015. 8 February 2015. Heritage Council of Western Australia.
  6. Web site: Project Canterbury: Cable Clerical Index. 21 April 2022.
  7. Web site: Australian Church Record, No 1443, 6 March 1969, p 8. 11 June 2022.
  8. Web site: St Johns Church of England - Albany. 9 August 2015. Plan Book Travel.

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