St Stephen's Church, Ipswich facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Stephen's Church |
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| Central Presbyterian Church, Ipswich | |
| Central Church | |
St Stephen's Church, 2021
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| 27°36′59″S 152°45′46″E / 27.6164°S 152.7629°E | |
| Country | Australia |
| Denomination | Presbyterian |
| History | |
| Founded | August 1865 |
| Founder(s) | Hon. Arthur Macaliste |
| Dedication | Saint Stephen |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) |
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| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Years built | 1865–1978 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Central Church |
| Division | Queensland |
St Stephen's Church and Hall, also known as Central Church, is a very old and important church building in Ipswich, Australia. It's a Presbyterian church, which means it belongs to a specific Christian group. The church was designed by an architect named Joseph Backhouse and was built over many years, starting in 1865. It's considered a 'heritage-listed' place, which means it's protected because of its historical importance. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on October 21, 1992.
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History of St Stephen's Church
St Stephen's Presbyterian Church is the second church built on this spot. It was constructed between 1864 and 1865. This impressive brick church is built in the Gothic Revival style. It was designed by architect Joseph Backhouse. This church is still a place of worship for one of the oldest church groups in Ipswich.
The First Church Building
The very first Presbyterian church service in Ipswich happened in December 1844. It was led by Dr. John Dunmore Lang. Later, in October 1851, Reverend Walter Ross McLeod preached to 150 people. This was the biggest church gathering in Ipswich at that time.
After Reverend William Lambie Nelson became the minister in August 1853, the church group started planning a permanent place to worship. By November 1855, a church building was finished. It was 40 feet by 26 feet and had a square tower. The plans were drawn by John Petrie.
The land for the church, at the corner of Limestone and Gordon Streets, was officially given by the New South Wales Government in December 1858. In February 1859, more land was given for a school and a house for the minister (called a manse). This made the total land one acre. Queensland became its own colony later that year, in December 1859.
Important members of the church back then included Arthur Macalister, who later became a leader of Queensland. The church was named St Stephen's in 1862. However, this first church had problems with its foundations and needed to be replaced.
Building the Second Church
The current St Stephen's church was built when Reverend Samuel Wilson was the minister. He arrived in 1863. That same year, twelve different Presbyterian churches in Scotland joined together to form the Presbyterian Church of Queensland. Reverend Wilson became the first leader of this new united church.
The first stone for the new church was laid by Arthur Macalister in August 1865. The architect for the new building was Joseph Backhouse. He was the brother of Benjamin Backhouse, who designed the Ipswich Grammar School. Joseph Backhouse was an architect in Ipswich in 1864–65. He was also the town surveyor for the Ipswich Council from 1865 to 1867. The builders were Farley, Renny, and McHugh.
In 1911–1912, the church was almost completely rebuilt because of more foundation problems. The walls had to be replaced. The tall steeple and the sessions house (a smaller building next to the church) were kept as they were. The roof was made higher, and two new entrances were added. The architect for this work was George Brockwell Gill, and the builder was John Whitehead.
Even after this, the foundations still had issues. In 1958, the church's base was made stronger by putting large concrete supports under the building. At this time, the transepts (parts of the church that stick out like arms of a cross) were added. However, the sessions house was not fixed then. In 1978, the sessions house was carefully taken apart brick by brick. A new sessions house was built in the same spot. It included a kitchen and new offices. This new building was next to the church but not directly connected to it.
Some of the beautiful stained glass windows in the church show how the Presbyterian Church grew. One window even came from an older church in Brisbane. In 2008, the church's name was changed to Central Presbyterian Church, Ipswich. It is now commonly known as Central Church, Ipswich.
The Manse and Church Hall
The foundation stone for the church's manse (the minister's house) was laid in August 1879. The building opened in January 1880. The manse was located to the east of the church. It was recently moved to a property outside of town. The church still owns the land where the manse used to be. A modern shop building now stands there, and the back of this building is used as a worship center.
Plans for a Sabbath School, or Hall, were made in 1888. This building was to be on land south of the church. The Sabbath School was built by Robert Wilson & Co. It cost £751 10s 6d and opened in 1889.
In May 1941, the Women's Guild planted cypress trees at the front entrance of the church. They did this to remember their late president, Alice Kirke. A lych gate (a covered gateway to a churchyard) was built in 1958 as a war memorial. In 1977, when several Protestant churches joined together, St. Stephen's was one of the churches that stayed Presbyterian. Its current area, which goes from Gatton to Goodna, is mostly the same as its original area from 140 years ago.
What St Stephen's Church Looks Like
The church's tall western spire (a pointed tower) makes it a well-known landmark in Ipswich. It's the most noticeable part of the street. The spire is painted cream, which makes it stand out even more. The rest of the church, including the sessions house, is made of dark brick.
The church has a Latin cross shape when viewed from above. It has a corrugated iron roof with vents. The details of the church, especially the tall spire, are in the Gothic Revival style. Its windows and door openings have pointed tops. The spire has special details like recessed pointed arches and decorative molding. Lighter colored bricks highlight the pointed tops of the church's other windows and doors.
Inside, the church still has most of its original items. These include wooden pews (benches) and a decorative wooden screen at the entrance. An original gallery (a balcony) overlooks the main part of the church at the western end. From here, you can get to the bell tower in the steeple.
A working pipe organ is located on the southern side of the altar platform. Its pipes and other parts are in the upper level of the southern transept. There is also a chancellery (an office area) in the northern transept.
A false wall has been built at the back, separating the main church from the sessions house with a narrow hallway. Both the church and the sessions house have large cracks in their brickwork. This is because the foundations are shifting. The floor in the sessions house is a "floating floor" that is sinking.
The timber hall, which is separate from the church by a carpark, has a cross shape. It has a gabled entrance with double stairs. The hall has a corrugated iron roof with large decorative vents and tall bargeboards (decorative boards along the edge of a roof). Fine wooden details are used in the upper part of each tall, narrow window to look like the tracery (decorative patterns) of a pointed arch. Even though the hall is made of wood, its details match the Gothic style of the church. This is most clear on the gabled front entrance and the wooden decorations around the building.
Inside, the hall still clearly shows its original design. There's a stage at the eastern end looking out over a simple rectangular hall with a curved wooden ceiling. An extension has been added at the back of the building, which includes the church offices on the northern side.
The lych gate, which is part of this area, is at the corner of Gordon and Limestone Streets. It has a brick base and a tiled, gabled roof. The plants around the church include two tall, thin pine trees that look like the spire. The shorter cypress trees allow the church buildings to be the main focus of the site.
Why St Stephen's is a Heritage Site
St Stephen's Church and Hall was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on October 21, 1992. This means it meets certain important standards.
- Shows Queensland's History: St Stephen's Presbyterian Church and Hall are important because they show how the Presbyterian Church grew in Queensland. The impressive design of the buildings also shows how important the Church was in communities during the 1800s.
- Uncommon Heritage: The grounds of St Stephen's Presbyterian Church have a lych gate built in 1958 as a war memorial. This type of war memorial is not very common in Queensland.
- Shows Church Features: St Stephen's Church is a great example of a 19th-century Gothic style brick church. It has a steeple and pointed arched windows and door frames, which are typical features of this style.
- Beautiful Design: The Church is very beautiful and is an important landmark in the city. It adds a lot to the look of the town. The hall is also beautiful because of its detailed timber work. Together, the church and hall create a strong group of religious buildings that stand out at the corner of Limestone and Thorn Streets.
- Important to the Community: St Stephen's Church and Hall are very important to its church group. This group is one of the oldest in Ipswich. The church has been a place of worship and gathering for them since the 1860s.
- Connected to Important People: The church is specially connected to architect Joseph Backhouse. It is considered his most important work in Ipswich.
