Shepherd Memorial Church of St Peter, Proston facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Shepherd Memorial Church of St Peter |
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Shepherd Memorial Church of St Peter, 2017
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| Location | Corner of Drake Street and Wondai Road, Proston, South Burnett Region, Queensland, Australia |
| Architect | Fowell, McConnel and Mansfield |
| Official name: Shepherd Memorial Church of St Peter | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 9 November 2012 |
| Reference no. | 602813 |
| Significant period | 1939– |
| Builders | Lesleigh George Windmell Smith |
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The Shepherd Memorial Church of St Peter is a special Anglican church in Proston, Queensland, Australia. It's known for its unique design and history. The church was designed by architects Fowell, McConnel and Mansfield. It was built between 1937 and 1939 by Lesleigh George Windmell Smith. This church is so important that it's listed on the Queensland Heritage Register.
Contents
A Church with a Special Story
The Shepherd Memorial Church of St Peter, often called St Peter's Church, was built thanks to a generous gift. A local farmer named Charles Shepherd left money in his will to build a church in Proston. He passed away in 1935.
How Proston Grew
Proston started as farmland in 1850. In 1910, the Queensland Government opened the land for more people to settle. Farmers faced challenges like prickly pear plants and not enough water.
The town began to grow faster when a train line from Murgon opened in 1923. This made it easier to transport goods. More buildings appeared, like a public hall, school, and shops. Getting rid of prickly pear in the late 1920s also helped. A butter factory opened in 1934, boosting the town's growth even more. By 1939, Proston had many services, including a police station and a school with over 100 students.
Building the Church
The land for St Peter's Church was set aside in 1934. The first stone of the church was laid on May 30, 1937, by the Archbishop of Brisbane, Dr William Wand. The church was finished and officially opened on July 3, 1938.
Charles Shepherd's will said that £3,000 (a lot of money back then!) must be used to build and furnish a church in Proston. He wanted it to be for the Church of England.
The Special Bricks
St Peter's Church was built using cream-coloured bricks made locally in Wondai. The Wondai Brick and Tile Company made thousands of special bricks for the church's doors, windows, and arches. The architects even said the building was "a symphony in brick." This church was the first big project for the Wondai Brickworks. This helped them find good clay and build their factory. Later, they supplied bricks for many buildings across southern Queensland.
A Unique Design
St Peter's Church is seen as an important building from the 20th century. Its design was inspired by European and Scandinavian styles. It has tall walls, a low-sloping tile roof, and wide eaves.
One special feature is its ventilation system. The very high walls create a large air space. The church has windows and special vents. The windows don't open, but the vents can be opened at night. This allows cool night air to be stored in the roof space. During the day, warm air from the people inside rises through grilles into the roof and out through the ends, letting cooler air flow down. This helps keep the church cool.
Inside the Church
An old magazine article from 1943 described the church. It said the church was made of cream bricks with a tile roof. It has a long main area (called the nave) and a rounded section at the east end (the apse). The entrance is on the south side, marked by a square tower with a special top. Inside, there's an organ area above the entrance. The font, used for baptisms, is opposite the entrance. The pulpit, where sermons are given, is made of brick.
The windows have steel frames and special glass that helps keep the heat out. The ceiling is made of panels. The altar, pews (church benches), and other furniture were made from local hardwood. The church cost about £2,755 to build.
Moving Away from Old Styles
The Archbishop of Brisbane, William Wand, said St Peter's Church was "a distinct departure from the usual design of churches." He wanted new churches to be built with stone and brick, looking as good as other public buildings. He also wanted to move away from the old Gothic styles. Most churches built in the 1930s were small wooden buildings. St Peter's Church was different and special for its time.
The church's design also showed a "low church" style of Anglican worship. This style is generally simpler and focuses more on Bible teaching.
Awards and Architects
In 1940, the architects Fowell, McConnel and Mansfield won an award for their design of St Peter's Church. This showed how excellent their work was.
The church's design is mainly credited to Kenneth Hamlyn McConnel. He was a talented architect who designed many important buildings. He was known for his modern ideas.
Later Years
In 1969, another Anglican church from Tingoora was moved to Proston. It now serves as the St Peter's Church Hall, located behind the main church.
On July 3, 1988, St Peter's celebrated its 50th anniversary. A special service was held, and a memorial tree was planted.
Few changes have been made to the church over the years. The ceiling colours inside have changed from bright colours to brick red and light blue. The original eucalyptus trees around the church were removed and replaced with other types of trees.
Charles Shepherd's Final Resting Place
In November 2015, St Peter's Anglican Church was closed because fewer people were attending services. When a church is closed, any human remains buried there need to be moved. Church records said Charles Shepherd's remains were in a special chamber under the altar. However, they weren't found there.
In July 2018, an older man said he was present when Shepherd's remains were placed in another part of the church foundations. Church officials used special ground-penetrating radar, which found unusual spots in the ground. An excavation then found part of a casket handle, a metal snuff box, and other material, confirming a burial. These remains were placed in a new casket and buried in the local Proston cemetery.
What St Peter's Church Looks Like
St Peter's Church is on the corner of Drake Street and Wondai Road in Proston. It looks very different from other buildings in the rural town.
The church has four simple shapes that make up its main areas: the entrance/bell tower, the main seating area (nave), the altar area (chancel), and a small room (vestry). It's built with pale, sandy-coloured bricks. The way the bricks are laid is very skilled.
The Main Church Area
The nave, the main part of the church, is a tall, rectangular room. It has a low-sloping roof with red tiles. Along the sides, there are long, narrow, arched windows. These windows have fixed steel frames with yellow, blue, green, and clear glass.
Below these windows are square, recessed brick panels. These panels have a cross pattern and are part of the church's special cooling system. They let air into the church. The west end of the church has a circular vent and a large window. Below this window is a marble stone that remembers Charles Shepherd, who funded the church.
The Bell Tower
The square bell tower is on the south side and holds the church's entrance. You reach it by brick stairs. The tower has a flat roof with walls around it. On top, there's a circular structure with eight columns that support a metal roof and a weathervane shaped like a rooster. The rooster is a symbol of St Peter.
The Altar Area
The chancel, the semi-circular area at the eastern end, is where the altar is. It also has narrow windows. Below the altar area, there was a chamber where Charles Shepherd's remains were originally thought to be.
The Vestry
The vestry is a simple, single-story room next to the nave on the north side. It has steel-framed windows. Concrete stairs lead to a wooden door that connects to the nave.
Inside the Church
Inside, the church has a simple layout. The bell tower has the entrance, a choir loft above it, and another platform. The choir loft is a small balcony overlooking the nave.
Opposite the entrance, there's a concrete baptismal font. Rows of pews, made from local hardwood, line each side of the central aisle. A brass plaque on one pew mentions Charles Shepherd. The aisles are carpeted, and the timber floor under the seats is visible. The ceiling has panels painted dark red.
The chancel has two platforms leading up to the sanctuary and altar. A curved brick wall with a curtain forms the background for the altar. The pulpit is in the south-east corner. The sanctuary ceiling is painted light blue.
The furniture in the chancel, like the priest's chair and the altar piece, are made from local hardwood. A rooster symbol is carved into the priest's kneeler.
The vestry, accessed from the chancel, has a storage cupboard and a sink.
Why This Place is Important
Shepherd Memorial Church of St Peter was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on November 9, 2012.
Showing Queensland's History
The church helps us understand how Queensland developed. It shows how towns grew as people settled on the land for farming, and how train lines helped these towns. St Peter's Church was built when Proston was growing fast, especially as a big producer of dairy products. It's also an early example of modern church design in Queensland, a style that became popular much later.
Unique Features of a Church
St Peter's Church shows the main features of an Anglican church, like its shape and furniture. Its simple look and interior show the "low church" style of Anglican worship. The church is rectangular, with a nave for 100 people, an east chancel, a square tower with a special top, an entrance, and an organ area. The church looks mostly the same as when it was finished in 1939.
Beautiful Design
St Peter's Church has strong aesthetic value, meaning it's very beautiful and well-designed. Its size and simple, strong look were influenced by old Romanesque styles and 20th-century Scandinavian architecture. Its modern look in a rural town is surprising and impressive. The high-quality brickwork shows the influence of the Modern Movement from the 1930s. The church is also special because it was designed to suit the climate, using its unique ventilation system.
Creative and Technical Achievement
St Peter's Church shows a high level of creative achievement. Its excellent design won the 1940 RAIA Queensland Chapter Award for Ecclesiastical and Institutional Buildings. This award was given only every five years, making its win very special.
