St Paul's Presbyterian Church, Spring Hill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Paul's Presbyterian Church |
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| St Paul's Presbyterian | |
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St Paul's Presbyterian Church, 2008
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| 27°27′39″S 153°01′39″E / 27.4607°S 153.0275°E | |
| Country | Australia |
| Denomination | Presbyterian |
| History | |
| Status | Church |
| Founded | 8 October 1887 |
| Dedication | Paul, the Apostle |
| Dedicated | 5 May 1889 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Architect(s) | Francis Drummond Greville Stanley |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Years built | 1887–1889 |
| Construction cost | A£11,000 |
| Specifications | |
| Spire height | 46 metres (150 ft) |
| Materials | Brisbane tuff stone; galvanised iron |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Spring Hill |
| Presbytery | Brisbane |
| Division | Queensland |
St Paul's Presbyterian Church is a beautiful old church in Spring Hill, Brisbane, Australia. It is located at 43 St Pauls Terrace. This church was designed by Francis Drummond Greville Stanley and built between 1887 and 1889.
It is a Presbyterian church and is known for its Gothic Revival style. The church is so important that it was added to the Queensland Heritage Register in 1992. This means it's a protected building because of its historical and architectural value.
Contents
History of St Paul's Church
St Paul's Presbyterian Church is a large stone building with a Gothic Revival style. It stands out on the Spring Hill skyline. The church was built between 1887 and 1889.
Early Church Buildings
The first St Paul's congregation started in Brisbane in 1863. Their first church was a timber building on Creek and Adelaide Streets. In 1876, a larger stone church replaced it.
However, this stone church was sold to the Queensland National Bank in 1886. It was then taken down. The money from this sale helped buy land in Leichhardt Street, Spring Hill. This new site was for building a new, bigger church.
The old Creek Street church was also famous for holding Brisbane's first organ recital in 1883.
Building the Current Church
Francis Drummond Greville Stanley, a well-known architect, was chosen to design the new church. He had designed many other stone churches in Queensland. The church was planned to be very grand. It was hoped it would become a major center for Presbyterian worship in Queensland.
Before the main church was built, a brick and stone Sunday School Hall was put up in 1886. This hall was used as a temporary church for three years.
The builder for the church was Thomas Rees, who later became the mayor of Brisbane. The project cost about A£11,000. Construction took just over 18 months. The first stone was laid on 8 October 1887. The church was officially opened on 5 May 1889.
Many stones from the old Creek Street church were reused in the new building. Also, a stone wall, iron railings, entrance gates, and a pipe organ were moved to the new site. Stained glass windows, donated in 1878 by former Queensland Premier Sir Thomas McIlwraith, were also moved.
Changes Over Time
Even though the church was built to be a major center, its congregation was small at first. This changed in the early 1900s when a new minister arrived.
In 1901, the inside of the church was changed. The organ and choir seats were moved. The pulpit, where the minister speaks, was moved to the center and raised higher.
St Paul's Church became a well-known landmark in Spring Hill. In the mid-1930s, part of Leichhardt Street was even renamed St Pauls Terrace because of the church.
After World War II, more features were added to the church. An electronic carillon (a set of bells) was installed in 1950. New stained glass windows were added to the aisle windows between 1958 and 1972. An update was made to the organ in 1963. A columbarium, a place for ashes, was added in 1967. The wooden pulpit and communion table were renovated in 1976.
In the early 1980s, a group called "Friends of St Paul's" was formed. They raised money to help restore the church. To help pay for a full restoration, land where the old minister's house (manse) stood was sold.
What the Church Looks Like
St Paul's Presbyterian Church is a stone building designed in the Gothic Revival style. It has strong buttresses, a belltower, and a tall spire that reaches 150 feet (46 meters) into the sky.
The church is shaped like a cross, which is called "cruciform." It has a main area called the nave, side sections called aisles, and arms called transepts. The front part, called the chancel, is shortened. There is also a small entrance porch with a spiral staircase leading to the belltower.
The roof is very steep and covered with galvanized iron. It has small gables for ventilation.
The church uses three different types of stone. Rough Brisbane tuff stone was used for the walls and buttresses. Strong Helidon sandstone was used around the windows. A softer sandstone, possibly from Breakfast Creek or Goodna, was used for other decorations.
At the front, two large cedar doors open into a porch. The floor here is made of black and white marble tiles. One of the stained glass windows in the entrance shows the apostle Nathaniel. This window was given by the Philp family in 1923.
The inside of the church is simple but impressive. The nave has stone pillars and pointed arches. The roof is supported by wooden arches and lined with red cedar wood. The walls are smooth. Each aisle has its own roof. Above these, windows in the clerestory (upper part of the nave wall) let natural light into the main area.
Above the chancel, there is a round rose window and four large stained glass windows from Europe. These windows show prophets from the Old Testament. Along the aisles, double arched windows show ten events from the life of St Paul.
Red cedar wood was used for the wooden parts inside the church, like doors and furniture. The floor slopes downwards and is made of pine wood.
St Paul's has the only bell in Brisbane that can be swung. It was made in London in 1888. The bell chamber is known for how well it carries sound to the nave.
After more than 100 years, St Paul's Church still looks and works much like it did when it was first built.
Why St Paul's is a Heritage Site
St Paul's Presbyterian Church was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992. It met several important requirements.
It shows how Queensland's history developed. The church, built from 1887 to 1889, is important for showing the work of the Presbyterian Church in Queensland. It also shows how the Creek Street congregation hoped to play a big role in Presbyterianism in the state.
It shows the main features of its type of building. The church is a great example of 19th-century Gothic church design in Queensland. It is still mostly original and is one of the few churches in Queensland that fully uses the "Gothic" style in stone. It also has an early pipe organ, beautiful stained glass, and a unique swung bell.
It is beautiful and important to look at. The church is a significant landmark and looks very appealing. It adds a lot to the look of Spring Hill and the skyline along St Pauls Terrace. It is also an important part of a group of church buildings, including the church hall and boundary fence.
It has a strong connection with a community. The church is historically important because it gave its name to a main Brisbane street, St Pauls Terrace. This shows that the wider community sees the church as a Brisbane landmark.
It is connected to important people or groups in Queensland's history. St Paul's is a major example of the church buildings designed by Francis Drummond Greville Stanley, who was a former colonial architect.
