| St Mary's Church, Maryborough | |
|---|---|
 St Mary's Roman Catholic Church, 2008 | |
  St Mary's Church, Maryborough Location inQueensland | |
| 25°32′14″S152°42′13″E / 25.5373°S 152.7037°E /-25.5373; 152.7037 | |
| Location | 271–275 Adelaide Street,Maryborough,Fraser Coast Region,Queensland |
| Country | Australia |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Website | stmarysparishmaryborough |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Founded | 29 July 1869 (1869-07-29) |
| Founder | James Cleary |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Architects |
|
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Years built | 1869–1936 |
| Completed | 4 February 1872 (1872-02-04) |
| Specifications | |
| Number of spires | 1 |
| Materials |
|
| Administration | |
| Archdiocese | Brisbane |
| Parish | St Mary’s |
| Clergy | |
| Priest | Fr Lucius Edomobi |
| Official name | St Marys Roman Catholic Church |
| Type | State heritage (built) |
| Designated | 21 October 1992 |
| Reference no. | 600692 |
| Significant period | 1860s (historical) 1860s, 1880s, 1930s (fabric) ongoing (social) |
| Significant components | Stained glass window/s, church, furniture/fittings |
| Builders | G Smith and J Thomas |
St Mary's Church is a heritage-listedRoman Catholicchurch at 271–275 Adelaide Street,Maryborough,Fraser Coast Region,Queensland, Australia, on land donated to the Church by Maryborough pioneer James Cleary. It was initially designed byCharles Tiffin with later additions and alterations byFrancis Drummond Greville Stanley andPOE Hawkes. The initial construction was from 1869 to 1872 by G Smith and J Thomas.[1] It was added to theQueensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992.[2]
St Mary's Roman Catholic Church was constructed in several stages and incorporates the first permanent Roman Catholic church in Maryborough started in 1869 to a design ofCharles Tiffin. The building was enlarged in two major stages of construction, the first in 1884–5 to the design ofFDG Stanley and then in 1936 to the design of local architect,POE Hawkes.[2]
Theoriginal township of Maryborough was situated, not in its current place, but on the north of theMary River, after wharves were established in 1847–8 providing transport for wool from sheep stations on theBurnett River. In 1850 Surveyor,Hugh Roland Labatt arrived in Maryborough with instructions to "examine the River Mary...to suggest ...the best site or sites for the laying out of the town, having regard to the convenience of shipping on one hand and internal communication on the other...also...point out the spots desirable as reserves for public building, church, quay and for places for public recreation." The site recommended by Labatt was not where settlement was established but further east and from the early 1850s this is where the growing town developed. As part of the survey two acres of land, through which a creek ran, in Section 85 was set aside for the Roman Catholic Church.[2]
To service the early Roman Catholic community in Maryborough, Father James Hanley fromBrisbane, visited Maryborough and held baptismal services. The first service was held in August 1852 in the house of the local chief constable. Towards the end of the 1850s the town of Maryborough developed with the erection of several public buildings including churches, and in 1856 a decision was made by the Roman Catholic community to erect a timber building to house 300 people. The tender of Linklater and Thompson was accepted and the church was ready for use in 1858, though not on the reserved site which was subject to flooding. A new site had been donated to the church by James Cleary and this has remained the principal Roman Catholic church site in Maryborough. The timber building was erected principally as a school house, but used as a service centre when Hanley's replacement, Dean Rigby visited Maryborough.[2]
After theseparation of the State of Queensland in 1859, the Roman Catholic Church formed theBrisbane Diocese encompassing the entire state. BishopJames Quinn was appointed and he arrived in his diocese in 1861 and immediately made plans to visit the populated areas, including Maryborough. He arrived in the town on 25 July 1861 with two fellow priests, one of whom, Father Tissot, remained in Maryborough as the first parish priest.[2]
By 1867 Father Tissot and his congregation considered the timber building inadequate as their church and steps were made to construct a new permanent church. It was in this year that gold was found inGympie and the development of Maryborough, as the port of the gold fields, was rapid. The services of Brisbane architect, Charles Tiffin were procured to design the new brick church and the foundation stone was laid on 29 July 1869. Tiffin was a well known public architect who was appointed to the position of Clerk of Works ofMoreton Bay in 1857 and in 1859 he became the firstQueensland Colonial Architect and was responsible for the design of many well known Brisbane landmarks, includingOld Government House,Parliament House and the (now demolished) Public Lands Office. He also designed several buildings in Maryborough including theGovernment Bond Store in Wharf Street and the Post Office.[2]
St Mary's Roman Catholic Church, as it became known, was completed and opened at a service conducted by Father Tissot on 4 February 1872. The building was constructed by local contractors G Smith and J Thomas under the supervision of WN Davidson. When completed, the church was described asEarly English and of brick with stonequoining and detailing. The building had a steeply pitchedgabled roof clad with shingles. Sideaisles extended the length of the four-baynave and these were lined with double lancets. The plan incorporated a smallporch,chancel and twosacristies. Father Tissot landscaped the grounds surrounding the church and provided the a chancel screen and other timber panelling carved by himself. He is thought to have been involved with the design of the high altar and the carved timber canopy, orbaldacchino above the altar. Provision was made in the design for extension of the church at a later date.[2]
On 21 November 1882, at a meeting presided over by the new bishop,Robert Dunne, a decision was made to extend St Mary's. The services of Colonial Architect, FDG Stanley were sought and plans for alterations were prepared and the church was re-opened in May 1884. The contractor for the work was Fritz Kinne at a cost of £1871. The additions included the extension of the nave by three bays and the erection of a largechancel. The roof was reclad with slate and several ventilation gablets were added near the ridge. Internally the church was painted by Messrs O'Malley and Mill. A new set ofStations of the Cross fromLyons, described as oleographs or coloured lithographs printed with oil paints, were framed in gold.[2]
During the nineteenth century the Roman Catholic Church in Maryborough continued to grow with several outbranches of the parish established in surrounding areas. A large presbytery, convent and school were constructed. In 1912 a new organ and blower, costing £900, were installed in the gallery of St Mary's.[2]
Substantial alterations were made at St Mary's in 1936 to the design of innovative local architect,P.O.E. Hawkes and carried out by contractor, Herbert Neilson for £7000. Again, the length of the building was extended, north and south chancels were added, as were sacristies,confessionals and abaptistry. The organ was moved from the gallery and placed in the Sacred Hearttransept. Externally, the building was rendered and an entrance was formed fromAdelaide Street, where previously access was provided only from Bazaar Street. A marble high altar was made by local craftsman, Mr Prout. A cock was added to the western gable of the church reflecting the French ties of Monsignor MacCarthy, the then parish priest. Cocks were traditionally added to the roofs of French churches to symbolise resentment over Italian dominance of thepapacy.[2]
Minor alterations have been made to the church since 1936, including the recladding of the roof with tiles and rib and pan roofing in two stages in 1959 and 1967. A section of the timber floor of the body of the church was replaced with concrete in 1979, followed by work in 1980 to stabilise foundations in the north western corner. A porch was constructed on the northern transept in 1987 and the timber canopy over the high altar was removed in 1989.[2]
St Mary's Church is centrally located in metropolitan Maryborough. The complex comprises the stuccoed masonry church, stone and concretegrotto, and two modern steel and canvas shelters.[2]
The nave of St Mary's runs north west/south east on the block between Adelaide and Bazaar Streets with pedestrian access provided from both of these streets. The principal entrance to the complex is via Adelaide Street, at which end is the entrance of the church, with thechancel end of the building, andtransepts at the Bazaar Street end. The building has a steeply pitchedgabled roof, and with gothic accoutrements and essentiallycruciform plan formed by the longnave and intersectingtransepts, the building conforms with many of the ideals ofgothic ecclesiastical architecture.[2]
The principalfacade of the building comprises the centrally located gable end of the building, abutted to the north east by a smaller gabled section surmounted by a small plaster statue of a rooster. On the face of the main gabled bay is a centrally located entrance formed by a gabledporch, surmounted by a statue ofOur Lady and flanked by plaster mouldedpinnacles. Above this is a largetraceriedstained glass window of fivelancets withfoils above. The roof is concealed by a mouldedstring coursedparapet which encircles the building. Surmounting this parapet on the central gable of the front of the building is aLatin Cross.[2]
St Mary's Church has a sevenbay nave, defined by internalcolumns supporting a navearcade of pointed arched openings above which are smallquatrefoil opening within triangular recesses forming theclerestory of the building. Around the altar the order of architecture changes toclassical and, as a continuation of the nave arcade,Corinthian columns support anentablature to create the chancel space. On the entablature are painted, in relief lettering, several religions phrases in Latin, and this writing continues around thecornice line of the transepts at this end of the building. In one of the transepts is a large organ.[2]
St Marys Roman Catholic Church was listed on theQueensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992 having satisfied the following criteria.[2]
The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history.
St Mary's Church the principal Roman Catholic Church in Maryborough illustrates the growth of the town from a small port to a large regional city. The church demonstrates the development of the catholic church in regional Queensland, from the establishment of centres in major regional towns in the mid nineteenth century to upgrading facilities during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.[2]
The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a particular class of cultural places.
The building is a characteristic example of a large regional Roman Catholic Church, with substantial sections dating from the nineteenth century and sympathetic early twentieth century additions.[2]
The place is important because of its aesthetic significance.
St Mary's has aesthetic and architectural merit as the work of a group of talented architects, forming a well composed building on a prominent Maryborough site. The building features fine craftsmanship, particularly the marble high altar, stained glass windows, Stations of the Cross and joinery.[2]
The place has a strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group for social, cultural or spiritual reasons.
The building has important spiritual associations with the Roman Catholic community in Maryborough as their place of public worship for 125 years and has association with many of the parish priests who were responsible for adding to or altering the building.[2]
The place has a special association with the life or work of a particular person, group or organisation of importance in Queensland's history.
The building has associations with architects, Charles Tiffin and FDG Stanley and with POE Hawkes, an innovative Maryborough architect.[2]
BishopJames Quinn arrived in the diocese in 1861. Bishop Quinn began his first visit of the diocese accompanied by Father Renehan and Father Tissot, who also had recently arrived. They left Brisbane on the steamerClarence on 23 July 1861, and two days later arrived in Maryborough. Fr. Tissot remained in Maryborough and became its first resident priest.[3]
This Wikipedia article was originally based on"The Queensland heritage register" published by theState of Queensland underCC-BY 3.0 AU licence (accessed on 7 July 2014,archived on 8 October 2014). The geo-coordinates were originally computed from the"Queensland heritage register boundaries" published by theState of Queensland underCC-BY 3.0 AU licence (accessed on 5 September 2014,archived on 15 October 2014).
Media related toSt Mary's Roman Catholic Church, Maryborough at Wikimedia Commons
