Horbury Hunt Hall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Christ Church Anglican Cathedral Hall |
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Heritage boundaries
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| Location | 52a Church Street, The Hill, Newcastle, City of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia |
| Built | 1878–1878 |
| Architect | John Horbury Hunt |
| Owner | Anglican Diocese of Newcastle |
| Official name: Anglican Cathedral Hall, Christ Church; Horbury Hunt Hall | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 2 April 1999 |
| Reference no. | 156 |
| Type | Church Hall |
| Category | Religion |
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Horbury Hunt Hall is a special historic building located at 52a Church Street in The Hill, Newcastle, Australia. It was designed by a well-known architect named John Horbury Hunt and finished in 1878. This building is also known as Christ Church Anglican Cathedral Hall. It is owned by the Anglican Diocese of Newcastle and was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999, meaning it's officially recognized as an important historical site.
Contents
A Special Building: Horbury Hunt Hall
Its Early Days
In 1882, the church leaders of Christ Church Cathedral decided to build a new, much bigger cathedral. While the main cathedral was being planned and built, they needed a temporary church. So, they asked John Horbury Hunt to design a building that could be used as a "pro-Cathedral," which means a temporary cathedral. This new building would also replace an old school.
The temporary cathedral was built between 1883 and 1884. Because the construction of the main cathedral took a long time, this building served as the main church for eighteen years, until 1902.
After the main cathedral was finished, this building became a church hall. Later, it was also used by Newcastle Grammar School. The church still owns the hall, but the school helps manage it.
The hall was repaired and restored in 2003–2004. However, some parts, like the mortar and plaster, have been damaged since then.
A Change in Style
Over the years, some changes were made to Horbury Hunt Hall. These changes were usually for practical reasons, like making the building more useful. Sometimes, these changes didn't fully consider the building's special design.
When it was first built, some people thought the hall looked "severely plain" or even like a "barn." But these opinions were mostly because people at the time had very traditional tastes. They didn't fully appreciate how new and clever Hunt's design was.
In fact, the hall's design was quite advanced for its time. It mixed Hunt's usual style, like certain window shapes and wall supports, with newer details. These included shingled walls and wooden windows. It even had an "American stick style" interior, which was a new trend. This design was actually about 20 years ahead of its time, hinting at styles that would become popular much later.
Why It's Important
Horbury Hunt Hall is a very important reminder of the big project to build the Newcastle Cathedral. It played a key role in providing a place for the Anglican community to worship. This was especially true during the time between the old Christ Church being taken down and the current Christ Church Cathedral being built. For 18 years, Horbury Hunt Hall was the main cathedral for the Anglican Diocese of Newcastle.
But its importance isn't just about its role in the cathedral's story. The hall also tells a story about its own construction. The different designs for the outside (by Hunt) and the inside (by Frederick B Menkens) show that there was a disagreement. Hunt was actually dismissed before the building was fully finished.
Horbury Hunt Hall is important for the whole region because of its connection to the Anglican Diocese. It's also important locally because it was used by the church and Newcastle Grammar School. Its location in The Hill area of Newcastle also adds to its local importance. The hall is a valuable source of history and is a key part of the area around Christ Church Cathedral. Most of all, Horbury Hunt Hall is important because of its design and its clear connection to the famous architect John Horbury Hunt. Because of this, it is considered to be of high state significance.
The Anglican Cathedral Hall, Christ Church, was officially listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999. This means it met certain requirements, which are explained below.
A Link to History
Horbury Hunt Hall is very important because it shows the history of New South Wales through its connection to architects John Horbury Hunt and Frederick B Menkens. Hunt was a very famous architect across Australia, and Menkens was well-known in Newcastle. Hunt designed many important buildings and was a huge figure in architecture. Horbury Hunt Hall fits well with Hunt's other works in the Hunter Valley and across NSW. This makes it important for the whole state because of Hunt's design and involvement.
The hall is also connected to Reverend Arthur Selwyn, who was in charge of Christ Church from 1867 until he died in 1899. He had a lot of influence over the building of both the temporary cathedral (Horbury Hunt Hall) and the current main cathedral. His life, including his disagreements with Hunt, is a big part of the hall's history. Selwyn was perhaps the most influential person in the early story of the cathedrals. Horbury Hunt Hall shows his influence, making it important locally.
The disagreements between Selwyn and Hunt can even be seen in the building itself. When it was being built, some people didn't like Hunt's design. Because of this, Hunt was dismissed, and another architect, Frederick B Menkens, was hired to decorate the inside. Menkens' work in Newcastle is well-known and respected. So, Horbury Hunt Hall is also locally important because of its connection to Menkens.
The difference between Hunt's design for the outside and Menkens' design for the inside clearly shows the conflicts between Selwyn (the church leader) and Hunt (the architect). Horbury Hunt Hall is important because it has strong links to these historically significant people: Selwyn, Hunt, and Menkens. Just for its connection to Hunt alone, Horbury Hunt Hall is considered important for the entire state.
A Unique Design
Horbury Hunt Hall stands out and is an important part of the area around Christ Church Cathedral. When it was the temporary cathedral, it had great views of Newcastle, making it a landmark. However, since the current cathedral was built and Newcastle grew, the views from the hall are not as clear, so it's less of a landmark now.
Architecturally, Horbury Hunt Hall is very important because it shows a high level of creative design. It was an early example of a style called "Federation Arts and Crafts architecture" in Australia. Its design is special because its "arts and crafts" elements were actually a preview of the "Federation style" that came later. Even though some people thought the building looked "plain" or "barn-like" at the time, this was more about their traditional tastes. They didn't fully appreciate how new and innovative Hunt's design was. Hunt was about 20 years ahead of his time with the design of Horbury Hunt Hall. It was a preview of the arts and crafts and Federation styles that became popular in the next century.
Horbury Hunt Hall is connected to the clever ways the cathedral was built. However, its architectural features make it important on its own as a building with significant design for the entire state.
Important to the Community
Many people have forgotten that Horbury Hunt Hall was once the temporary cathedral. Its story is often overshadowed by the planning and building of the current Christ Church Cathedral. Even though the hall hasn't received as much attention as the cathedral, its opening ceremony was a big success that people in Newcastle remembered for a long time. Horbury Hunt Hall served as the main church for the parish until November 1902, when the current cathedral was ready.
For the 18 years it served as the temporary cathedral, Horbury Hunt Hall was very important to the Anglican community in Newcastle. Even though it was only meant to be a temporary place of worship, it was a place of great spiritual importance for a significant period.
Historically, Horbury Hunt Hall holds spiritual importance for the Newcastle Anglican Parish and Diocese. It served as the Cathedral for the Newcastle Diocese for 18 years, acting as a place of worship. Therefore, it played a big role in the spiritual, social, and cultural life of Newcastle. It also has wider importance for the community and the Anglican Church it served.
Learning from the Past
Horbury Hunt Hall is a key part of the area around Christ Church Cathedral and Newcastle Grammar School. It helps tell the story of these two sites and buildings. It's an important place that helps us understand the history of the Cathedral project. It also helps us understand the relationships between the Cathedral, the Parish, the Diocese, and Newcastle Grammar School.
