St Andrews Anglican Church

General

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Also known as

St Andrew's Anglican Church; St Andrews Church South Brisbane; South Brisbane St Andrews

Classification

State Heritage

Register status

Entered

Date entered

21 October 1992

Type

Religion/worship: Religious precinct

Theme

8.1 Creating social and cultural institutions: Worshipping and religious institutions

Architects

Caldwell, William A

Stombuco, Andrea Giovanni

Construction periods

1878–1932, St Andrews Anglican Church (1878 - 1932)

1878–1932, St Andrews Anglican Church - Church (1878 - 1932)

1909, St Andrews Anglican Church - Hall (1909 - 1909)

Historical period

1870s–1890s Late 19th century

Style

Gothic

Location

Address

160 Vulture Street, South Brisbane

LGA

Brisbane City Council

Coordinates

-27.48164988, 153.01931145

Significance

Criterion AThe place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland’s history.

St Andrew's Anglican Church is significant historically in demonstrating the expansion of the Anglican Church in Queensland, and the evolution of South Brisbane as a rival to North Brisbane in terms of commerce, municipal development and population increase, in the second half of the 19th century. The construction of St Andrew's illustrates the move away from the river flats after the 1860s flood, and the growing popularity among the middle-class of the higher ridges in South Brisbane and Highgate Hill.

Criterion BThe place demonstrates rare, uncommon or endangered aspects of Queensland’s cultural heritage.

The place is important as a rare example of a substantial, stone gothic-style church in Brisbane, with particularly fine stained glass windows, and is a well-known South Brisbane landmark which has contributed to the Brisbane townscape for over a century.

Criterion DThe place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a particular class of cultural places.

The place is important as a rare example of a substantial, stone gothic-style church in Brisbane, with particularly fine stained glass windows, and is a well-known South Brisbane landmark which has contributed to the Brisbane townscape for over a century.

Criterion EThe place is important because of its aesthetic significance.

The place is important as a rare example of a substantial, stone gothic-style church in Brisbane, with particularly fine stained glass windows, and is a well-known South Brisbane landmark which has contributed to the Brisbane townscape for over a century.

Criterion GThe place has a strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group for social, cultural or spiritual reasons.

The place is important as a rare example of a substantial, stone gothic-style church in Brisbane, with particularly fine stained glass windows, and is a well-known South Brisbane landmark which has contributed to the Brisbane townscape for over a century.

Criterion HThe place has a special association with the life or work of a particular person, group or organisation of importance in Queensland’s history.

Despite having been constructed in a number of stages between 1878 and 1932, the building reflects much of architect Andrea Stombuco's original vision, and is important in contributing to our understanding of his work.

History

St Andrew's Anglican Church at South Brisbane was constructed in several stages: 1878-83, 1887, and 1931-32.

The first Anglican church in South Brisbane had been built c1855 on the corner of Grey and Melbourne Streets. The construction of St Andrews reflected the growing population of the area and the general move of residential and public buildings up the hill away from the flood-prone area of first settlement.

Flamboyant Italian architect Andrea Stombuco was commissioned to design St Andrew's, which was to be a substantial structure in stone. Stombuco, who had designed a number of ecclesiastical buildings for the Catholic Church, including St Joseph's Christian Brothers' College on Gregory Terrace [1875-76], Rathbawn at Nudgee [1875-78] and St Mary's Roman Catholic Presbytery in Ipswich [1875], envisaged a grand structure for St Andrew's, with a prominent tower and spire.

Work commenced in 1878, but was abandoned when the walls had reached a height of only 6 feet [1.8 metres]. Stombuco's design had proved beyond the financial means of the parish, and work did not resume until 1882. The chancel, transepts and first bay of the nave were completed in the following year by the builder James O'Keeffe. An 1887 extension was designed by architect HWK Martin, who had recently arrived in Brisbane from London, and was an active member of the St Andrew's congregation.

The rectory and parish hall were built later, the hall in 1909 to a design by architect William A Caldwell. The rectory was demolished in 1988.

The continued growth in the congregation led to the completion of the nave in 1931-32, under the supervision of architect Lange L Powell. The tower and spire of Stombuco's design were never completed.

Description

St Andrews is a large, gothic-style limestone church, cruciform in shape.

In addition to the nave and transepts there is a portico at the front and a chancel at the western end. Both of these wings have a lower roof line than the nave. A small vestry is located to the north of the chancel and the half built tower is to the south. There is a substantial subfloor beneath the church. The steeply pitched gable roof is of slate.

A notable feature of the building is the large stained glass windows, especially those located at the end of the chancel, portico and transepts.

The timber hall consists of a core surrounded by enclosed verandah wings. The core has a steeply pitched gable roof in corrugated iron and fine timber ceiling supported by timber trusses.

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