St Patrick's Cemetery, North Parramatta facts for kids
Mortuary Chapel and graves at St Patrick's Cemetery, North Parramatta
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| Details | |
|---|---|
| Established | 1824 |
| Closed | 1972 |
| Location | |
| Country | Australia |
| Type | Historic |
| Owned by | City of Parramatta Council |
| Size | 5 hectares (12 acres) |
| No. of graves | 2000+ |
| Designations | |
|---|---|
| Official name | St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Cemetery |
| Designated | 23 March 2012 |
| Reference no. | 01880 |
St Patrick's Roman Catholic Cemetery is a very old and important burial ground in North Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia. It is known for being the first official Catholic cemetery in Australia. People were buried here from 1824 until 1972. A special building called the mortuary chapel was built in 1844. This chapel is designed in a style called Gothic Revival and is the oldest of its kind in Australia. The cemetery was officially closed in 1972. Later, in 1975, it was given to the City of Parramatta Council to look after. Because of its history, it was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register in 2012.
Contents
History of St Patrick's Cemetery
Early Aboriginal Connections
Before European settlers arrived, the land around the Parramatta River was home to the Darug Nation. Specifically, the Burramattagal clan lived in the area that is now Parramatta. This land was perfect for living because it had plenty of fresh water, lots of plants and animals, and a mild climate.
When European settlers came, the Burramattagal clan faced a big challenge. Diseases brought by the Europeans, like the smallpox epidemic in 1789, sadly affected them greatly. By 1830, it is believed that no members of the Burramattagal clan were left.
How the Cemetery Started
St Patrick's Cemetery is Australia's oldest official Catholic burial ground. Its beginning has an interesting story. In 1822, Father John Joseph Therry, a Catholic priest, asked the government for land. He wanted a special burial ground just for Catholics in Parramatta.
In 1826, Father Therry finally got the land at the corner of Pennant Hills Road and Church Street. This land was to be the Catholic Cemetery. However, some headstones in the cemetery are dated 1824. This means that people were buried there even before the government officially approved the land.
Many people buried here were convicts. Research has found at least 44 known convict burials. This includes two Irish rebel convicts. More research might find even more.
The land was in a good spot, at the meeting point of two main roads. Because of this, there were attempts to take the land away. But the Catholic community fought to keep it. They quickly fenced the area in 1834 to show it was theirs.
Building the Mortuary Chapel
The foundation stone for the sandstone mortuary chapel was laid in August 1844. This chapel was dedicated to St Francis of Assisi. This was a bit unusual because chapels for the dead were often named after St Michael. The change happened because Dean Coffey, a Franciscan, wanted to honor his friend Father McCarthy. Father McCarthy was part of the Capuchin Order, which follows St Francis of Assisi.
The completed chapel became a central point. A path lined with Chinese funeral cypress trees led to it from Church Street. The government finally made the land official in 1846. It was granted for the chapel and then for the whole cemetery area. This shows how important the cemetery was to the early Catholic community. It was a way for them to show their independence in a society mostly run by Protestants.
Changes Over Time
In 1878, Father John Rigney noted that the cemetery was fenced and looked after. In 1936, a special entrance gate called a lych gate was built with a brick and iron fence. This marked the main entrance.
In the 1950s, efforts were made to make the cemetery look better. A "beautification and tree planting" program added spotted gums and brush box trees. These trees still give the cemetery its unique look today.
The Cemetery Closes
Keeping the cemetery maintained became very expensive. So, in 1971, people started talking about closing it. The cemetery officially closed for new burials in 1972. In 1975, the land was given to the Parramatta City Council. This transfer was done under a special law called the Conversion of Cemeteries Act.
St Patrick's Roman Catholic Cemetery was recognized as important by the National Trust in 1976.
What the Cemetery Looks Like
St Patrick's Cemetery is a large, unique-shaped area. It sits on a hill at a busy intersection of Church Street and Pennant Hills Road. Another road, Castle Street, borders one side. Modern apartment buildings are next to the other side.
The cemetery ground is flat and has many trees. Some of the older trees are still there, like two Chinese funeral cypresses near the Mortuary Chapel. Many spotted gums and brush box trees, planted in the 1950s, also grow here.
When you see it from the roads, St Patrick's Cemetery stands out. It looks like a "green oasis" in the middle of a busy area. Its different look and feel make it an interesting part of the suburban landscape.
Graves and Monuments
The oldest gravestones in the cemetery date back to the 1820s. Three headstones from 1824 are still there, with the earliest belonging to Thomas Nugent. These early stones are usually simple, Georgian-style sandstone headstones. Some early altar tombs are also present. The oldest marked graves are in the southern part of the cemetery.
There are about 2000 burials in the cemetery, but only around 400 monuments remain. Many older graves face east, but some face northeast or west. This shows how the cemetery grew over time.
The Mortuary Chapel
The Mortuary Chapel was built in 1844 over the remains of Father Thomas Francis McCarthy. It is dedicated to St Francis. A stone above the chapel door says it was dedicated "To the glory of God under the patronage of Saint Francis." Inside, a bronze plaque from 1994 marks the chapel's 150th anniversary.
The chapel is a small building in the Gothic style. It is made of fine stone with a pointed roof. It has two arched windows at one end and an arched doorway with a cross at the other. Inside, there is a marble altar. Five other important Parramatta priests are buried under the chapel floor.
The chapel was placed in the center of the cemetery. A path lined with cypress trees led from Church Street to the chapel. The entrance to the cemetery had fancy iron gates with large sandstone posts. These gates were moved later when the road was widened.
Over time, the areas around the chapel became more used. Graves were laid out in more organized rows. The most decorated headstones are often found near the path to the chapel. Many older inscriptions on the headstones tell stories about the people buried there. They might include where they came from, where they died, or names of family members. Some even have poems.
Later headstones from the mid-to-late 1800s became more fancy. They show styles like High Victorian and Gothic Revival. St Patrick's Cemetery has beautiful examples of carved sandstone headstones. Many headstones also have symbolic designs.
In 1936, a low brick and iron fence with a timber lych gate was built at the southern end. This became the main entry point. Even though the cemetery was used until the 1970s, it has few recent memorials. This gives the cemetery a consistent look and feel.
Condition of the Cemetery
Some parts of the cemetery have been damaged. Footstones, which are smaller stones at the foot of a grave, have been moved. Many are now in a concrete area next to the Mortuary Chapel. Some headstones were also moved there, possibly to protect them or to tidy up the area.
Sadly, some monuments and the chapel have been damaged by vandalism. The old age and weather also make them more fragile. Despite this, the cemetery is mostly in its original state.
Changes and Updates
The cemetery's look has changed over time with different projects.
- In the 1950s, many spotted gums and brush box trees were planted.
- In the 1970s, new things were added like light poles to stop vandalism and paved paths. Some footstones and headstones were moved. A low brick wall was built around the chapel, and its roof was replaced.
- The iron cemetery gates and sandstone entrance pillars on Church Street were moved in the 1970s. This was done to make space for future road widening. At least seven headstones were also moved for this reason, but the burials themselves stayed in place.
Why St Patrick's Cemetery is Important
St Patrick's Cemetery is very important to the history of New South Wales and Australia. It is one of the most significant burial grounds. It is the earliest official Catholic cemetery in Australia. Its main feature, the mortuary chapel, is the oldest of its kind in Australia.
The cemetery shows how Catholics gained recognition in a society that was mostly Protestant. It also shows how the Catholic community grew in Australia. The way the cemetery is designed, and the types of graves, show how burial customs and architectural styles changed over time. The Gothic-revival chapel and its formal entrance are very charming.
The cemetery also has links to:
- Catholic convicts and Irish rebels.
- The Capuchin and Franciscan religious orders.
- The wider Catholic community of the Parramatta area since the 1820s.
- Important people, families, and early groups from the Parramatta district.
- Different cultures, with burials of German, Italian, and Chinese people.
St Patrick's Roman Catholic Cemetery was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register in 2012 for several reasons:
- It shows important historical patterns: It is the earliest formal Catholic cemetery in Australia. It shows how Catholics gained independence in a mostly Protestant society. It also shows how the Catholic community developed in New South Wales. It contains the earliest large group of Catholic convict burials, including Irish rebels. The 1844 sandstone mortuary chapel is the oldest in Australia and an important example of early Australian religious architecture. Its building, along with the 1834 fence, also showed the Catholic community's claim to the land.
- It is linked to important people or groups: It has early connections to the Franciscan and Capuchin religious orders through its 1844 mortuary chapel. It is linked to the Catholic community of the Parramatta region since the 1820s. Many important people from this community are buried here. It is also the burial ground for many Catholic convicts and Irish rebels. Father John Joseph Therry, Parramatta's first Parish Priest, worked hard to get this cemetery established. Five important parish priests who served in Parramatta are buried under the chapel floor.
- It has high artistic or technical qualities: The cemetery has beautiful landscaping and mortuary monuments. The mortuary chapel is also very artistic. The cemetery's location at a key road junction makes it visually interesting and peaceful. The Gothic revival mortuary chapel shows high quality craftsmanship. Its formal design, with ornate gates and cypress trees, is very important.
- It has strong social or cultural connections: It has long and continuous links with the Catholic community of the Parramatta region. People from far away would bring their dead to St Patrick's Cemetery. This shows how important it was to the Catholic community. It contains burials from all types of Catholic society in the Parramatta region. The cemetery is still important to the current Catholic community. They celebrate mass there every All Soul's Day (November 2).
- It can provide valuable information: The cemetery has potential for research and archaeology. Studying the marked and unmarked burials could help find more convict and Irish rebel burials. Studying the physical parts of the cemetery, like the monuments and old plants, can also give us information.
- It has rare or unique aspects: It is rare as an early, formal Catholic burial ground in New South Wales. Its formal landscape design is also rare and of high quality. The chapel's dedication to St Francis of Assisi is unusual. This honors Father McCarthy, who was part of the Capuchin Order, followers of St Francis.
- It shows key characteristics of its type: The monuments in St Patrick's Cemetery are good examples of the common types and styles used in Catholic cemeteries in New South Wales between 1820 and 1970.
