St Mary's Church, South Brisbane facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church, South Brisbane |
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St Mary's Church in 2018
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| 27°28′26″S 153°00′55″E / 27.4739°S 153.0153°E | |
| Country | Australia |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Status | Church |
| Founded | 25 September 1892 |
| Founder(s) | Cardinal Patrick Francis Moran |
| Dedication | Mary, mother of Jesus |
| Dedicated | 2 July 1983 by Archbishop Robert Dunne |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Architect(s) |
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| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Romanesque Revival |
| Years built | 1892–1929 |
| Construction cost | £2,150 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Rendered brick, reinforced concrete |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St Mary's Catholic Parish, South Brisbane |
| Archdiocese | Brisbane |
St Mary's Church is a historic Roman Catholic church located in South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It stands at 20 Merivale Street, on the corner of Peel Street. The church was designed by Simkin and Ibler and built between 1892 and 1929. It is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register, meaning it's an important historical place.
Contents
History of St Mary's Church
St Mary's Church in South Brisbane is a beautiful brick church built in the late 1800s. It was designed by architects Simkin and Ibler. The church was built by Woollam and Norman between 1892 and 1893. When it first opened on July 2, 1893, it wasn't fully finished. The plans included a tower, transepts (side sections), and a chancel (area around the altar) that were never built. The church was finally completed in 1929. A permanent sanctuary was added to the eastern end by architects Cavanagh and Cavanagh.
Why a New Church Was Needed
St Mary's was the second Catholic church in South Brisbane. The first was a small wooden chapel built in 1865. This chapel was made bigger in 1868. In the 1860s, South Brisbane was a small area. But by the 1880s, Brisbane was growing fast. South Brisbane's population tripled, reaching over 22,000 people by 1891.
With so many more people, the small chapel wasn't big enough. So, in 1889, people met to plan a new, larger church. The Catholic Church bought more land next to the old chapel. By 1889, they had a large block of land. Fundraising for the new church began in 1890. By the end of 1891, half the money needed was collected. Architects Simkin and Ibler drew up plans for a grand church. It was designed to hold 800 people.
Building the Church
George Simkin and John Ibler were famous architects in Brisbane. They worked together from 1889 to 1894. They designed many buildings for the Roman Catholic Church. These included Dara, the Archbishop's home, and schools. Their designs often mixed different architectural styles. St Mary's Church combines Romanesque and Renaissance styles. This was unusual because most churches in the 1800s were built in the Gothic style.
Cardinal Patrick Francis Moran laid the first stone of the new church on September 25, 1892. Archbishop Robert Dunne officially opened the church on July 2, 1893. The church cost about £2,150 to build. Even though there was an economic crisis and floods in the 1890s, people raised a lot of money. Because of limited funds, only the main part of the church (the nave and aisles) was built at first. Some parts, like the eastern end, were made of timber temporarily.
Changes Over Time
The original chapel was used as both a church and a school from 1866. After the new church opened, it continued as a school until 1909. New school buildings were then built on the site. In 1914, a large bell was put in a timber tower next to the church. A convent for the Sisters of Mercy was built in 1915.
The biggest change to the church happened in 1929. The sanctuary, where the altar is, was finally completed. Architects Cavanagh and Cavanagh designed it to match the original building. It was built with reinforced concrete and brick. The inside of the sanctuary was very fancy. It had marble walls, terrazzo floors, a domed ceiling, and stained glass windows. A new marble altar was also installed. The old chapel was taken down around this time.
In 1938, the presbytery (the priest's house) was updated. It was changed quite a lot from its original look.
After World War II, many Catholic immigrants came to South Brisbane. St Mary's became a very important place for them. Different groups, like Italian, Dutch, Polish, Lithuanian, and Slovenian people, used the church. They had services led by their own priests. Even in 1993, the Lithuanian and Slovenian communities still met there.
The school closed in 1964. The school buildings, convent, and bell tower have all been taken down since then. Today, only the church and the former presbytery remain from the original complex.
What St Mary's Church Looks Like
St Mary's Catholic Church is on a large corner block in South Brisbane. It's a grand building made of rendered (smoothly plastered) brick with corrugated iron roofs. The church is on the highest part of the land. The front of the church faces northwest towards Peel Street. Next to the church is a car park. The former presbytery, a timber building, is on the eastern side facing Merivale Street.
The church has a wide, tall main area called the nave. It has narrower sections on each side called aisles. At the back is a rounded area called the chancel. The original plans included a bell tower and side sections (transepts), but these were never built. The nave has a high roof with windows above the aisles, called a clerestory, which lets in light. The aisles have lower, sloping roofs. The chancel and other small rooms at the back have separate roofs. The church's design is based on an old Roman building style called a basilica.
The church's style is called Romanesque Revival. This style often uses round arches. Other features you can see at St Mary's include:
- A large round window, like a wheel, on the front.
- A decorative band (frieze) with a row of arches.
- Horizontal bands (string courses) on the walls.
- Decorative arched patterns that look like old castle defenses.
The front of the church is simple but has lots of detailed decorations. It has a large arched main entrance. Above the doors is a semicircular area with three arched windows. The large round window is a main feature of the front.
The sides of the church look similar. They have tall, narrow, round-arched windows arranged in pairs. There are also side entrance doors. The walls have decorative arched patterns along the top.
The inside of the church is bright and open. The walls are white, and the timber ceilings are dark. There's a choir area above the main entrance. A row of four round arches separates the main nave from the side aisles. Above these arches are the clerestory windows, which bring light into the tall nave. The nave ceiling has exposed timber beams.
The sanctuary at the eastern end of the church is more ornate. It has a marble floor and marble walls. There are stained glass windows and a domed ceiling. The main altar is a beautiful marble structure in the center of this space. Small rooms on either side of the chancel are the vestry and sacristy.
Outside, the church is surrounded by paved areas and some lawns and gardens. A stone grotto (a small cave-like shrine) is located near the main entrance.
Why St Mary's Church is Important
St Mary's Catholic Church is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register because it is very important to Queensland's history and culture.
- Shows how Brisbane grew: The church shows how South Brisbane developed quickly in the late 1800s. More people meant bigger buildings were needed. It also shows that many working-class people, often of Irish background, lived in South Brisbane at that time. The fact that it wasn't fully built at first shows the economic challenges of the 1890s.
- Uncommon style: Most churches built in the 1800s were in the Gothic style. St Mary's is special because it's an early example of a church built in a style inspired by Italian Romanesque and Renaissance architecture. This was unusual for churches in Queensland.
- Great example of a church: It's a great example of a large, permanent church built in the late 1800s. These churches were built to replace older, smaller, or temporary buildings.
- Beautiful design: St Mary's is an important landmark on Peel Street. It has a simple shape but is beautifully detailed. The inside is spacious and well-lit.
- Important to the community: The site has been used for Catholic worship since 1865. It has a strong connection to the Roman Catholic Church in Queensland. It's especially important to the many Catholic immigrant communities who came to South Brisbane after World War II.
