Second St Mary's Church, Warwick facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Second St Mary's Roman Catholic Church, Warwick |
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| St Mary of the Assumption Church | |
Second St Mary's Roman Catholic Church
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| 28°13′11″S 152°01′53″E / 28.2198°S 152.0313°E | |
| Country | Australia |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Status | Church |
| Dedication | St Mary of the Assumption |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Architect(s) | Dornbusch & Connolly |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic |
| Years built | 1920–1926 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St Mary's Parish |
| Diocese | Toowoomba |
The second St Mary's Roman Catholic Church is a beautiful heritage-listed sandstone Catholic church located at 163 Palmerin Street in Warwick, Queensland, Australia. It is also known as St Mary of the Assumption Church. Local architects Dornbusch & Connolly designed this church, which was built between 1920 and 1926. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992, recognizing its importance.
Contents
History of St Mary's Church
Early Catholic Services in Warwick
From the 1840s, Catholic services were held in Warwick. Priests from Sydney, Ipswich, and Brisbane would visit. The first recorded mass took place in 1854. It was led by Father McGinty from Ipswich. Services were often held at the Horse and Jockey Inn on Palmerin Street.
Warwick Becomes a Parish
In 1862, Warwick became its own Catholic parish. This was just one year after Warwick was declared a town. The first priest was Dr John Cani. He quickly saw the need for a proper church building. A good spot was chosen on Palmerin Street.
Building the First St Mary's Church
Plans for the first church were drawn by Benjamin Backhouse, a well-known architect from Brisbane. The church was meant to be simple but elegant, built in the Gothic style using stone or brick. Even after being badly damaged by a thunderstorm, the first St Mary's church opened on August 23, 1865. Bishop Quinn, Queensland's first Bishop, led the opening. The building cost £1500, and its stone came from the local Sidling Quarries.
Growth and New Leadership
After Dr Cani left, several priests served the parish. Father James Horan became the parish priest in 1876 and stayed until he passed away in 1905. He was responsible for adding parts to the original church, like the transepts and chancel, by 1894.
Monsignor Michael Potter joined Warwick as a curate in 1891. After Horan's death, he became the parish priest. In the 1910s, Potter decided the first St Mary's Church was too small. He believed a bigger, grander church was needed for the growing community.
Constructing the Second St Mary's Church
Local architects Dornbusch and Connolly were chosen to design the new church. It was built on land just north of the old church. The foundation stone for the new church was laid on February 29, 1920. Important church leaders, including Archbishop Daniel Mannix from Melbourne and Archbishop James Duhig from Brisbane, were there.
The original plans for the church were for a traditional cross shape. However, two lawsuits caused big delays. One was about land ownership, and the other was with the builders. Work stopped, and the church took six years to finish, using day labour. The back part of the church, including the transepts and chancel, was never fully completed. The western wall and a small chancel were built temporarily with brick.
The sandstone for the church came from the nearby Yangan quarry. The granite, used for columns inside and out, came from Greymare. A special layer of lead and asphalt was put in the walls to keep out dampness.
Design and Features
The church's design was called a revival of Gothic architecture from the 1200s and 1300s. You can see this in the detailed patterns and carvings. Some parts, like the internal columns, were inspired by older Norman styles. The entrance porch was influenced by later 15th-century Gothic designs.
The beautiful stained glass windows were designed and made by RS Exton and Co of Brisbane. Mr FJ Fuller from Toowoomba oversaw the stonework. Mr FJ Corbett from Brisbane supervised other building work. St Mary's Church cost about A£40,000 to build.
When it was finished, St Mary's had electric lighting, a lovely set of Stations of the Cross, and an organ. By 1929, a main altar and two side altars were added. These were designed by Dornbusch and Connolly and made from white Sicilian marble with red and green marble details. The next year, a pulpit, also designed by the architects, was added.
Opening and Later Additions
Archbishop James Duhig officially opened the church on March 21, 1926. In 1929, a small replica of the Lourdes grotto was built north of the church. It was a gift from Mr and Mrs Martin Crane. The first St Mary's Church was then used as a school building and later as a meeting hall.
Architecture and Design
St Mary's Church is a large sandstone building. It stands out on the corner of Palmerin and Wood Streets in Warwick. It is a local landmark and can be seen from many parts of the town. The church is next to the local Catholic primary school, where the first St Mary's Church is located.
Church Structure
The church was planned to have a traditional cross shape, but it was never fully completed. Only the main body and the tower were finished. This gives the building a unique look.
St Mary's has a central nave, which is the main part where people sit. It has side aisles on either side. There is a small sanctuary at the west end and a large tower on the eastern entrance side. The nave and aisles have distinct purple slate roofs. The aisle roofs are lower, allowing light to enter the taller nave through clerestory windows.
The Tower
The tower is on the south-eastern corner of the building and is about 29 meters tall. It has an octagonal spire on top, rising above a decorative wall. Eight smaller spired pinnacles stick out from this wall. These pinnacles come from the angled supports that strengthen the tower. They are topped with sandstone fleur-de-lis, a flower-like symbol found throughout the church. The tower has many openings, including rose windows, double lancet windows, and quatrefoil openings.
Materials and Details
The church is built from rough-faced sandstone blocks. Smoother stone is used for arches, decorative lines, and carvings. The windows have leadlight panels with stained and colored glass.
The eastern entrance has a large central section with a smaller section to the north and the tower to the south. You enter through a porch up seven stairs. The porch has three arched openings supported by round granite columns with carved tops. Above the porch is a large window with detailed patterns. Large sandstone crosses sit on top of the gables.
The sides of the church show the aisles and the nave behind them. These parts have windows with geometric patterns, twin lancets, and quatrefoil shapes. Decorative walls hide the roofs. The roof also has small vents. Confessional rooms stick out from the sides of the building.
The western side of the church, which was meant to be extended, is made of brick. It has a central gabled part that is lower than the main church.
Inside the Church
You enter the church through three double timber doors from the porch. There are also two side entrances. The porch has a wooden ceiling and a grey terrazzo floor with a dark red border.
Inside, the church has a nave with six sections. These sections are marked by pointed arches supported by polished granite columns. A large pointed arch separates the sanctuary, which has a rose window and a beautiful marble main altar. Two smaller side altars are in arched spaces next to the sanctuary.
The concrete floor is red, and the aisles have terrazzo with the fleur-de-lis symbol. The inner walls are plastered, with moldings around windows and below the clerestory windows.
The ceiling is made of diagonal timber panels. The timber roof trusses have carved details and rest on columns that extend down to carved sandstone supports. Between these columns are the clerestory windows. Each window has leadlight panels and a stained glass quatrefoil with a different image.
A gallery with silky oak wood panels is at the eastern end of the church. It is supported by cast iron columns. Confessional rooms are accessed through timber doors under arched doorways in both aisles.
Many original features are still in the church. These include the wooden pews, the timber-framed Stations of the Cross, and a marble plaque honoring Father Jacobi Horan. The sanctuary has a very fine Gothic revival main altar made of white Sicilian marble with red and green marble details. It also has matching side altars and a pulpit.
Why St Mary's Church is Important
St Mary's Church was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on October 21, 1992, for several reasons:
- Shows Queensland's History: The large size of the planned St Mary's Church shows how important Warwick was as a major town in Queensland.
- Great Example of Church Design: St Mary's Church is a wonderful example of Gothic revival churches from the early 1900s, even though it is not fully finished.
- Beautiful to Look At: The building has many beautiful parts, like its stonework, carvings, and internal woodwork. The marble main altar, side altars, and pulpit are also very fine. It is the tallest and most noticeable building in Warwick.
- Important to the Community: The church has a special connection with the Catholic community of Warwick. It has been their main parish church for over sixty years.
- Connected to Important People: It is especially linked to Rev. Father Matthew Potter, who guided the church's construction.
See also
- St Mary's Presbytery, Warwick, the church's presbytery which is also heritage-listed
