St Mary's Church, Middle Swan Explained

St Mary's Anglican Church, Middle Swan
Coordinates:	-31.8603°N 116.0056°W
Location:	Yule Avenue, Middle Swan, Western Australia
Country:	Australia
Denomination:	Anglican
Founded Date:	/ 1868
Dedication:	St Mary
Consecrated Date:	10 May 1869
Status:	Church
Functional Status:	Active
Architect:	Richard Roach Jewell
Style:	Gothic Revival
Years Built:	1868–1903
Materials:	Brick
Parish:	Swan
Diocese:	Perth
Province:	Western Australia
Deacon:	Rev Les Marshall
Embedded:	Embed: yes Designation1: State Register of Heritage Places Designation1 Offname: St Mary's Church and Graveyard Designation1 Type: State Registered Place Designation1 Date: 8 October 1996 Designation1 Partof: Swanleigh Precinct

St Mary's Church is an Anglican church on Yule Avenue in the suburb of Middle Swan, Western Australia. St Mary's was built in 1868 on the site of an earlier church which had been built there in 1838.^[1] The church is part of the Anglican Diocese of Perth. The church and graveyard overlook the Swan River in the Swan Valley district.

The church can seat 150 people and is open by appointment only.^[2]

History

On 5 August 1839 the foundation stone for the original church was laid, and opened fifteen months later by Governor John Hutt on 29 November 1840. It was built on land owned by the Church Mission Society and in memory of Lucy Yule, the wife of Magistrate Yule who died and was the first person buried on the site in 1838.

The land was believed to be the site of a landing during James Stirling's expedition in 1827. The church was built with an octagonal layout and could hold about 100 people. It was consecrated in 1848 and remained in use until 1869.

Rev. William Mitchell was the first Minister to attend the church.

A new (and the current) rectangular church was built in 1868–69 immediately adjacent to the old octagonal church.^[3] It was designed by Richard Roach Jewell and consecrated by Bishop Matthew Hale on 10 March 1869.

The adjoining graveyard includes graves of many notable European settlers of the Swan River Colony from 1838.

References

Bibliography

• Book: Bourke, Michael J. . 1987 . [{{GBurl|id=P_cAywAACAAJ}} On the Swan: A History of Swan District, Western Australia ]. Nedlands, WA . University of Western Australia Press for the Swan Shire Council . 0855642580.
• Book: Page . Charles . [{{GBurl|id=_bqftgAACAAJ}} Saint Mary's Churchyard Middle Swan: A Review of Churchyard Occupants and Memorials ]. 2002 . Parish of Swan . Middle Swan, WA . 224562490.
• Book: Peterkin, A. Roy . The Noisy Mansions: The story of Swanleigh 1868 - 1971 . Swanleigh Council. 2nd . 1988 . 1862521808. Midland, WA .
• Book: Wilson, Harold S. . 1999 . Bassendean, WA . [{{GBurl|id=9nUMAgAACAAJ}} A History of the Anglican Parish of Swan ]. Access Press . 0864451342.

Notes and References

1. Web site: St Mary's Anglican Church, Middle Swan, Western Australia. Medievalism in Australian Cultural Memory. 2 May 2015.
2. Web site: St Mary's Church. Anglican Parish of Swan. 2 May 2015.
3. Web site: St Mary's Church and Graveyard. Heritage Council of Western Australia. 2 May 2015.