St Brigid's Church, Rosewood facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Brigids Church, Rosewood |
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St Brigids Catholic Church, 2006
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| 27°38′27″S 152°35′40″E / 27.6408°S 152.5944°E | |
| Country | Australia |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Status | Church |
| Founded | 13 December 1908 |
| Dedication | Saint Brigid |
| Dedicated | 13 February 1910 by Archbishop James Duhig |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Undergoing repairs |
| Architect(s) | Reverend Andrew Horan |
| Years built | 1909 - 1935 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Timber; corrugated iron |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Ipswich |
| Archdiocese | Brisbane |
St Brigids Catholic Church is a special old church in Rosewood, Australia. It is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register because it is an important historical building. The church was designed by Reverend Andrew Horan. It was built in 1909 by RJ Murphy. Some changes were made to it in 1935.
Contents
History of St Brigids Church
This large wooden church was built between 1909 and 1910. It took the place of an earlier, smaller St Brigid's Church, which was also made of timber. Reverend Andrew Horan from the Ipswich area designed the church. He also paid for the foundations to be built.
The church was built using a system where workers were paid daily. RJ Murphy, a builder, watched over the construction. Many local people helped build the church for free.
Early Worship in Rosewood
Before the first church, people in Rosewood had Mass in their homes. After 1875, they used a room at The Rising Sun Hotel. This continued until the first St Brigid's Church was built in 1885. Rosewood was a rich area back then. People earned money from sugar, timber, and dairy farming. Most of the people living there were from Ireland and Germany.
The foundations for the second church were blessed on December 13, 1908. The new church was big enough for 1,000 people. It opened for services on February 13, 1910. Archbishop of Brisbane James Duhig officially opened it. Rosewood was the first country place where Bishop Duhig had celebrated Mass as a priest.
St Brigid's Church was part of the Ipswich church area for a while. Then, Father Timothy Kelleher became the first priest for the Rosewood area in 1915.
Church Improvements Over Time
The inside of the church's northern wall was improved for the 1935 Jubilee Celebrations. Three stained glass windows were added. They were made by RS Exton & Co from Brisbane. Next to these windows, there were murals painted by a famous Queensland artist, William Bustard. These paintings were on special fibre supports.
Later, around 1951, parts of this wall were covered. A new mural was painted there using a special photo-assisted method. Some old parts of the church have been removed. These include the altar rail gates, one of the confessionals, and the organ.
The roof was replaced after 1973. The outside walls, which used to be dark, are now painted a light color. Some new plants have been added around the church. New paved roads were also built on both sides.
Recent Challenges
The church building has been leaning for many years. By 2020, it was considered unsafe. It needed about $3 million to make it straight and safe again. As of February 2022, the repair work had not started. People began raising money in 2020 to help fix and restore the church.
What St Brigids Church Looks Like
This is a large, fancy church made of weatherboards. It has three main roof sections that come to a point, called gables. The middle gable is taller and wider. These gables face Railway Street. The church itself is shaped like a simple, wide rectangle.
Small porches stick out at the front and on each side. At the back, there is a central section with a sloping roof. This section connects to other gabled areas.
Outside Features
The church stands on timber stumps, which are about 1 meter (3 feet) high. There are wooden strips, called battening, between the stumps.
The roofs are made of corrugated iron. The gables at the front and on the porches have crosses on top. They are also decorated with triangular wooden patterns and curved metal brackets. Three square, capped vents are along the top of the main roof. Three small, steep gables with louvred openings help air flow through the outer roof parts.
The windows are lancet shaped, meaning they are tall and narrow with a pointed top. There are seven of these windows with multiple openings along each side. Others are placed evenly at the front and back. You can open them from inside.
The back stairs to the western side porch were removed. A ramp was put in instead for easier access. A separate toilet building is being built near the back western corner. The back landing is tilted and cannot be used.
A wooden belfry (a tower for a bell) stands separately behind the church. It has a shallow pyramid-shaped corrugated iron roof, and the bell is still inside.
Church Grounds
The church is set back about 50 meters (164 feet) from the street. It has a triangular grassy area in front. This area is partly lined with tall, thick native shrubs. A flame tree (Brachychiton spp) and a fire-wheel tree (Stenocarpus) have been planted in the middle of the church and the front lawn.
Inside the Church
Inside, there is a tall, pointed main ceiling vault. Smaller, similar vaults are on each side. A central aisle and smaller side aisles lead to a very decorated chancel (the area around the altar) and side chapels. Wooden posts divide these areas. Between the posts, curved wooden pieces form a line of pointed arches. Above these arches is a frieze (a decorative band) of white-painted wooden uprights.
Above the frieze, there are panels of pressed metal. These connect to the pressed metal vaulted ceilings. All these parts are very decorative and painted in shades of blue.
The floor is made of 10 cm (4 inch) wide crows ash boards. The chancel, aisles, and paths to the side porches are covered with carpet.
The walls are lined with 10 cm (4 inch) wide tongue-and-groove wooden boards. The lower and upper parts of the walls have vertical boards. The middle section has diagonal boards. The back chancel wall is flat. It has large stained glass windows high up under each vault. The middle window shows St Brigid. The left window shows St Agnes, and the other shows St Philomena. The central window is surrounded by a painting of leaves, grapes, and wheat. On either side of the altar, this wall is painted with angels in shades of blue.
The altar and altar rail are painted to look like marble. Doors on either side lead to rooms for flowers and the sacristy (where priests prepare). The central, closed, back landing is used to store cleaning equipment.
At the front of the church, above the entrance, there is a gallery. It is supported by smaller posts. The underside of the gallery has a pressed metal ceiling. It is also painted beautifully, but with a different pattern than the vaulted ceilings. You reach the gallery by a wooden stair. The gallery floor is sloped.
A confessional (a small room for confessions), which is flat-sided, stands in one corner to the right of the main entrance on the ground floor.
The church is a large and impressive building. It is set in wide, flat grounds. Its inside is very ornate and interesting to see.
Why St Brigids Church is Important
St Brigids Church was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on October 21, 1992. This means it meets certain important standards.
- Shows Queensland's History: St Brigid's Church, built in 1909–10, is important because it shows how the Rosewood area grew in the late 1800s and early 1900s. It also shows how the Catholic Church expanded in Queensland.
- Rare Cultural Heritage: The church has a rare church painting by the important Queensland artist, William Bustard. This makes it very special.
- Good Example of a Church: It is a great example of a large, mostly untouched timber country church built in the early 1900s.
- Beautiful to Look At: The church is very beautiful. This comes from its shape, the materials used, and its decorations. This includes the fancy gable decorations, the pressed metal ceilings, and the artworks. These artworks include the stained glass windows and the painted wall murals.
- Important to the Community: The local community values the church. They see it as a key part of Rosewood's history and culture.
