Christ Church Cathedral, Newcastle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Christ Church Cathedral |
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| Cathedral Church of Christ the King | |
Cathedral in 2012
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 Christ Church Cathedral
Location in New South Wales
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| 32°55′47″S 151°46′50″E / 32.92972°S 151.78056°E | |
| Location | Church Street, The Hill, Newcastle, New South Wales |
| Country | Australia |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| History | |
| Status | Cathedral |
| Founded | 1847 |
| Dedicated | 21 November 1902 |
| Consecrated | 20 November 1983 by Bishop Holland |
| Events |
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| Past bishop(s) | William Tyrrell (1848–79) |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Architect(s) |
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| Architectural type | Cathedral |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 1883 |
| Completed | 1902 |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 1,000 |
| Length | 72.5 metres (238 ft) |
| Width | 25.6 metres (84 ft) |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Newcastle |
| Province | New South Wales |
The Cathedral Church of Christ the King, also known as Christ Church Cathedral, is an Anglican church in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. It is the main church for the Diocese of Newcastle. The building was designed by John Horbury Hunt in the Gothic Revival style. It sits on a hill at the eastern end of the city in a suburb called The Hill. This important building was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 28 June 2011.
The current dean, Katherine Bowyer, started her role on 4 October 2017. She is the first woman to hold this position.
Contents
History of Christ Church Cathedral
The land where Christ Church Cathedral stands has been home to churches for a long time. The first church, also called Christ Church, was built here in 1817–1818. Building the current Christ Church Cathedral was a very long and complex process. It took exactly 100 years from when construction began until it was officially opened. John Horbury Hunt was the main architect, but other designers from Newcastle also helped.
Early Churches in Newcastle
The first church on this site was ordered by Governor Lachlan Macquarie. It was built to serve government officials, soldiers, and convicts living in Newcastle. The town's population grew a lot after the Norfolk Island prison closed in 1814, making a church even more necessary.
The first Christ Church was built quickly on sandy ground. It used local sandstone that had salt in it, and much of the work was done by convicts who weren't skilled builders. Because of this, and the strong winds from the sea, the church soon had problems. The upper tower and steeple had to be removed because they were unstable. The church stayed like this for 43 years.
In 1847, the Diocese of Newcastle was created, making Newcastle an official city. Christ Church became a cathedral, and William Tyrrell was appointed as the first bishop (1848-1879).
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Early Christ Church without its steeple
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Christ Church with its tower removed, around 1868
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The original 1817 Christ Church with its steeple
John Horbury Hunt's Design
By the mid-1850s, Newcastle's population had doubled due to increased coal mining. People decided a new or larger cathedral was needed. In the 1860s, Bishop Tyrrell thought they should just add to the old church. However, the diocese wanted a new building. In 1868, they held a competition for a new cathedral design. It had to be made of stone or brick, fit 1,000 people, and cost no more than ten thousand pounds.
Terry and Speechly from Melbourne won the competition. However, their design was too expensive. So, the plans by John Horbury Hunt were chosen instead. Hunt was a very important church architect in Australia during the late 1800s. He was known for using natural materials like brick and timber, and for designs that weren't perfectly symmetrical.
Hunt's design for Christ Church Cathedral was a large, cross-shaped building in the Victorian Academic Gothic style. It was meant to have a central tower with a spire. Even though Hunt finished his designs in 1868, construction didn't start until 1883. The building process had many delays and disagreements. The original Christ Church was used until it was taken down in stages in 1884.
During major repairs after the 1989 earthquake, the original foundation stone from 1817 was found. It was moved to a new spot inside the cathedral, close to where it first was.
Hunt also designed a temporary church, now called Horbury Hunt Hall, which was used until the new cathedral opened in 1902. This building is still standing today. By 1895, Hunt and the builder were dismissed because of problems. Even so, Hunt's careful work on the foundations helped the cathedral's walls survive the 1989 Newcastle earthquake almost 100 years later. Hunt's full design, including the tower, was only finished in 1979, though without the spire he had planned.
In 1900, a new dean, John Francis Stretch, took over. He hired John Hingestone Buckeridge to oversee the cathedral's completion. The cathedral was officially opened on 21 November 1902. Important people like the Governor of New South Wales, Sir Harry Rawson, and the Premier of New South Wales, Sir John See, attended the service.
In 1906-1907, ground movement from nearby mines damaged the cathedral's foundations and brickwork. For a while, people worried that part of the building might need to be pulled down. Repairs were needed, and the local community helped pay for them.
The beautiful stained glass windows in the nave and baptistry were designed and made by the London company Charles Eamer Kempe. This company, and its successor, made most of the cathedral's windows over the next 30 years. The most famous is the large western rose window, installed in 1928. The cathedral has more than 60 of the 72 Kempe & Co. windows in all of Australia. In England, the largest collection of Kempe windows in one church is only 20.
The cathedral also has a very special stained glass window called Dies Domini ("Day of the Lord"). It was designed by Sir Edward Burne-Jones and made by Morris & Co. of London. This window, installed in 1907, is unique in Australia. It is one of only two such designs in the world.
Frederick George Castleden's Work
Frederick George Castleden, a well-known Newcastle architect, took over the project next. His company oversaw the completion of the cathedral between 1909 and 1928. In 1911, the walkway around the east end and the Tyrrell Chapel were built. In 1912, the eastern walls were finished, and more stained glass from Kempe & Co. was added.
The Warriors' Chapel
The Warriors' Chapel was built in 1924 as a special memorial. It honors all those who died in World War I, especially the men and women from Newcastle and the Hunter Valley. It was a place for families to grieve and remember those buried overseas. The architects, F. G. and A.C. Castleden, used earlier designs for the chapel. It was built by C. Davis & Sons.
The chapel's sandstone walls have carved messages and symbols of the armed forces. There are 13 stained glass windows by Kempe & Co. in the walls. They tell stories of service and sacrifice by men and women during the war. It was unusual at the time to include St Martha, representing "Home Service," showing the important role women played on the home front.
Many special items were made for the Warriors' Chapel to remember the dead. William Mark, a very skilled Australian metalworker, created 11 metal pieces. His work is considered among the treasures of Australian churches. One very touching item, now in the cathedral's display case, is the illuminated Book of Remembrance, also called the Book of Gold. It lists the names of those from the Diocese of Newcastle who died. The covers of the Book of Gold, and a special cup and plate (chalice and paten), were made from melted-down gold and jewels. These were donated by women in the diocese who had lost family or friends in the Great War.
A special processional cross, the Mace Cross, was given to the cathedral. It remembers Lieutenant W. R. Mace, who died at Gallipoli in 1915. Other items include a bronze sculpture of a soldier, known as the Forster Monument. It was given by a former governor-general, Lord Forster, and his wife to remember one of their sons. This sculpture is a copy of an original bronze praised in London. Next to it is a wooden cross from the grave of an unknown soldier in France, representing all who died in the Great War.
The cathedral also holds a Toc H lamp, the Federal Lamp of Toc H Australia. This lamp was also a gift from Lord and Lady Forster, remembering their two sons. Another special item is a rushlight made by Australian prisoners of war in the Changi camp during World War II. This rushlight is one of only three that survived captivity and the only one returned to Australia.
The cathedral became the main church for the Toc H movement in Australia, partly because Dean Horace Crotty was a chaplain during World War I. Another Toc H item is an oak carpenter's bench, used as an altar in the St Christopher Chapel since 1930. This bench is like the one used in Talbot House in Belgium during World War I, where soldiers could rest. Talbot House was started by an Australian chaplain, Revd P. B. "Tubby" Clayton. The name Toc H comes from the signaller's code for Talbot House.
The altar also has two painted panels of St Christopher by English artist Daphne Allen. They were given to remember Colonel G. G. Short, who served in World War I.
A Union Jack flag, the only documented flag from Australia's Gallipoli campaign, is displayed in the cathedral. It belonged to the 13th Australian Infantry Battalion and was brought back in 1916. It was restored in 2001.
A Victoria Cross, Australia's highest military award, was given to Captain Clarence Jeffries after he died in 1917. His mother later gave it to the cathedral. It is the only Victoria Cross in New South Wales that the public can see.
After the World War I memorials were added, building continued. In 1928, the Castleden firm finished more work on the arches and walls. They tried to stick to Horbury Hunt's original designs, even using bricks from the same clay pit. However, they left out the spire and added a different top to the walls. You can see a slight change in the brickwork where Hunt's work ended.
Recent Developments
In 1969, the cathedral hosted the first Australian performance of Benjamin Britten's Noye's Fludde ("Noah's Flood"). The "voice of God" was provided by Brin Newton-John, who is the father of singer Olivia Newton-John.
In 1979, the transepts (the arms of the cross-shaped church) and the bell tower were raised by John Sara. This brought the building closer to Hunt's original design for the tower.
In the early 1980s, local Newcastle artists added many new works to the cathedral. These included banners, a terracotta and wood crucifix, a tapestry, and a triptych (a three-panel artwork).
In 1982, five painted panels by Reinis Zusters were added. They honor Australians who served in World War II, Korea, Malaya, and Vietnam.
The cathedral's organ, which uses pipes from the original 1906 instrument, has been rebuilt and updated several times. The most recent work was in 1997–1998.
After more than 80 years of use, the cathedral was officially opened by Bishop Holland on 20 November 1983.
The 1989 Newcastle earthquake at first seemed to cause only minor damage. But soon, it was clear the building was seriously harmed and needed major repairs. This work was done between 1995 and 1997. They used a special engineering technique from Germany called the Cintec masonry anchoring system. This method strengthens the walls and piers to help them resist future earthquakes, while keeping the building's beautiful look. It involved drilling holes and inserting long stainless steel rods with special grout. The horizontal rods in the nave walls were 32 meters long, a world record for this type of work at the time!
Cemetery History
The Christ Church burial ground, now a rest park, is on the north side of the church. It is the first known European burial ground in Newcastle and one of the earliest in Australia. Burials started here when Christ Church was built in 1817. At first, it was used for people of all Christian faiths. But after a Church of England law in 1836, only Anglicans could be buried there. This led to other cemeteries being opened for Roman Catholics and Presbyterians in the 1840s.
In the 1800s, people started to believe that having cemeteries in the middle of cities was unhealthy. So, cemeteries, jails, and hospitals were moved outside city centers. In 1881, a new cemetery opened at Sandgate, outside Newcastle. Christ Church Cemetery was officially closed. A few burials still happened there after 1881, leading to legal action. The last burial at Christ Church burial ground was in 1884. However, in the 20th century, people could have their ashes buried in the cathedral grounds. A special building for ashes (Columbarium) was built in 1955, and a memorial garden was added in 2006.
The cemetery area was originally about 3 acres and had no fence. By 1884, it was only about 1 acre. King Street formed its northern edge, with a wall between the street and the cemetery. After it stopped being used for burials, the site was not well cared for. In the 1930s and 1940s, nearby landowners tried to use the area for other things. In the 1950s, debates about the burial ground grew. The Newcastle Club wanted to buy it, but couldn't. The Newcastle City Council wanted to turn it into a carpark.
Christ Church Cathedral refused these offers. Instead, they had the area re-fenced and cleared of weeds. The idea of making it a rest park had been around since the 1870s. In 1966, a law was passed that gave most of the land to the council to become a public park. It also allowed headstones to be moved. Areas along the east, south, and west edges remained the property of Christ Church Cathedral. In 1966, all readable tombstones were moved to the eastern edge of the park. The monument to James Hannell (Newcastle's first Mayor) and his wife stayed in its original spot.
About the Cathedral
The cathedral is located next to Church Street, on the highest part of the site. The rest park (the old cemetery) is on the slope to the north, reaching King Street.
The finished cathedral is a changed version of Horbury Hunt's first design. It grew over nearly a century with help from many architects and builders.
Parts of the original 1817 foundation stone are still visible in the cathedral. You can even read Governor Macquarie's name on it.
During the earthquake repairs in 1995-1997, old foundations from the first Christ Church were found under the floor. They were carefully recorded and left untouched when the new floor was put in.
Condition of the Cathedral
The cathedral's walls and piers (support columns) were badly cracked by the 1989 earthquake. Only one stained glass window, the Madonna and Child in the Warriors' Chapel, was seriously damaged. It has been successfully repaired. The restoration of the walls and piers happened between 1995 and 1997.
Overall, the cathedral is in good condition. Its valuable items are well cared for. However, since the earthquake repairs, the east wall around the stained glass windows has been getting worse. The mortar (cement between bricks) is falling out on the outside. Inside, the stone is crumbling, and salt crystals are appearing on the surface. This problem has happened before. The new mortar used after the earthquake has a chemical that reacts with salt, unlike the original mortar. To fix this, the mortar will need to be replaced with a mix similar to the original one.
Parts of the 1817 foundation stone are still readable, including Governor Macquarie's name. But after being exposed to the weather for many years, much of the stone is wearing away. Experts are currently looking into how to best preserve it.
The cemetery and park are well maintained. However, some of the headstones are no longer readable due to weathering.
How Christ Church Cathedral Compares to Others
Christ Church Cathedral is special in many ways.
- Size: It is the largest Anglican cathedral in New South Wales. In all of Australia, it's the third largest, after St Paul's Cathedral in Melbourne and St John's Cathedral in Brisbane. It's much bigger than Horbury Hunt's other cathedrals in Armidale and Grafton.
- Architectural Style: While Horbury Hunt's design wasn't fully completed, his careful work on the foundations helped the cathedral's walls survive the 1989 earthquake. His design for Newcastle was more simple than his other cathedrals, but it still shows his unique ideas, like placing the baptistry right opposite the main entrance.
- Stained Glass Windows: The cathedral has a huge collection of Kempe windows – over 60 of them! This is by far the largest collection in Australia. The big western rose window is famous for its bright red, blue, and gold colors. The cathedral also has the only Dies Domini window in Australia designed by Edward Burne-Jones, which is considered one of his best works.
- War Memorials: The cathedral has a very special collection of war memorabilia. The Warriors' Chapel, with its items made by William Mark, is considered one of Australia's most outstanding public war memorials. The collection of Mark's metalwork here is unique because of its size and purpose. The cathedral also has the only Victoria Cross in New South Wales that is available for public viewing. And it holds the only documented Union Jack flag flown by Australian soldiers throughout the Gallipoli campaign. These items make the cathedral a very important place for veterans and their families.
- Cemetery: The Christ Church burial ground is one of Australia's oldest European cemeteries. It's rare to find such an old inner-city burial ground that hasn't been changed much over time. This makes it very valuable for studying early colonial history.
- Earthquake Repairs: The special Cintec system used to repair the cathedral after the 1989 earthquake was a first for Australia. It was the largest and most challenging use of this technique by the company at the time.
Why Christ Church Cathedral is Important (Heritage Listing)
Christ Church Cathedral, along with its special items, park, and cemetery, is historically important for many reasons:
- Early History: It shows how the Anglican Church grew in New South Wales and its connection to early convict history. It was one of the first brick and stone Anglican churches built outside Sydney.
- Important People: The cathedral is linked to famous architects like John Horbury Hunt and important church leaders like William Tyrrell, Newcastle's first bishop.
- Design and Beauty: It is the largest Anglican cathedral in New South Wales and a major landmark in Newcastle. Its design, materials, and size make it an extraordinary building. The stained glass windows, especially the Kempe collection and the Burne-Jones window, are considered outstanding.
- Technical Achievement: The earthquake repairs used a new and advanced engineering technique (the Cintec system) for the first time in Australia.
- Community Connection: The cathedral is a very important place for Anglicans and other residents in Newcastle. It hosts major community events, like memorial services for the earthquake. It is also a special place for war veterans and their families, who visit to see the unique war memorials. The gifts of gold and jewels from families who lost loved ones in World War I show the deep connection the community has to the cathedral. It is also the national church for the Toc H movement in Australia.
- Research Potential: The old church foundations found during repairs, and the cemetery, offer great opportunities for future archaeological studies of early colonial building methods and burial customs.
- Rare Features: The cathedral's location and the unchanged size of its grounds are rare examples of early town planning in Australia.
Deans of Newcastle
The following people have served as the Deans of Newcastle:
| Ordinal | Name | Term start | Term end | Notes |
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| 1 | Arthur Selwyn | 1892 | 1899 | |
| 2 | John Stretch | 1900 | 1909 | later became Bishop of Newcastle in 1906 |
| 3 | Cyril Golding-Bird | 1909 | 1914 | later became Bishop of Kalgoorlie in 1914 |
| 4 | Henry Kingsley Archdall | 1915 | 1919 | later became Principal of St David's College in 1938 |
| 5 | Horace Crotty | 1919 | 1928 | later became Bishop of Bathurst in 1928 |
| 6 | William Johnson | 1928 | 1936 | later became Bishop of Ballarat in 1936 |
| 7 | Thomas Makinson Armour | 1936 | 1943 | later became Bishop of Wangaratta in 1943 |
| 8 | Arthur Morris | 1943 | 1948 | |
| 9 | Norman Blow | 1949 | 1950 | |
| 10 | William Hardie | 1950 | 1961 | later became Bishop of Ballarat in 1961 |
| 11 | John Falkingham | 1961 | 1975 | |
| 12 | Robert Beal | 1975 | 1983 | later became Bishop of Wangaratta in 1985 |
| 13 | Graeme R. Lawrence | 1984 | 2008 | |
| 14 | James Rigney | 2009 | 2013 | |
| 15 | Stephen Williams | 23 June 2013 | 2017 | |
| 16 | Katherine Bowyer | 4 October 2017 | present |
See also
- St John's Anglican Church, Newcastle
- List of Anglican cathedrals in Australia
