St Anne's Church Complex

Statement of Significance

• The place has aesthetic value as the buildings in the complex are good demonstrations of the style in which they were constructed; the church is a good and intact example of the Federation Gothic style and the Presbytery and former school building are simple expressions of the Post War International style.
• The complex of buildings are a landmark in the streetscape.
• St Anne's Church, Presbytery and former school building have historic value for their association with the development of the Catholic community in Belmont during the early 20th century and the ongoing provisions of services to this community until the present day.
• The complex of buildings have historic value for their association with prominent members of the Belmont community who helped fund the church buildings, including Charles Courtland and Patrick Love.
• The place is associated with local architect Augustus Rieussett and builder Joseph William Blacklock.
• The complex of church buildings have social value for the many members of the Belmont and wider community who have visited the site for social and spiritual reasons since the early 20th century.
• The continuity of function and form of these buildings in the streetscape contribute to the community sense of place.

Physical Description

11-13 Hehir Street is a complex of church, presbytery and the former Catholic School located on the north eastern side of Hehir Street with a return to Barker Street.

Federation Gothic church of red brick construction incorporating contrasting rendered detailing including string courses, capping and detailing. The typically steep pitched roof is clad with corrugated metal sheeting with a cross on the south-western gable apex.

The porch entry is located on the south-west elevation, which follows the same design as the main body of the church, albeit on a smaller scale. The porch is positioned between the buttresses that extend up the full height of the elevation and contains an elaborate rendered arch around the entry. The roof to the porch is at the same pitch as the main roof. Twin arched windows above the porch contain leaded lights.

The side elevations are divided into a series of bays by buttresses with raked capping. Each bay contains a three-section window with toplights.

A small porch has been constructed to the rear of the church.

The former school building is located to the south east of the church. The building is of timber framed construction with fibre cement sheet and weatherboard cladding. The shallow pitched hipped roof extends down with a break of pitch to form the verandah canopy across the north east elevation. The verandah canopy to the south west elevation is a separate element, positioned below the eaves of the main roof. The roof is clad with short sheet corrugated iron sheeting.

The north east and south western elevations are the principle elevations to the former school building. The rear elevation is asymmetric in planform with the skillion canopy extending across the entire elevation, the central section forms a verandah canopy flanked by the fibro clad end rooms. The verandah deck is painted concrete slab supported on a brick plinth. The canopy is supported on square timber posts. All the doors are high waisted timber panel doors.

The south west elevation facing Hehir Street has a more activated frontage due to the higher number of openings across the elevation. The entire elevation is protected by a verandah which has a shallow pitched skillion roof supported on slender steel cylindrical posts. The end sections of the verandah are partially enclosed to provide protected seating areas. The doors are flush panel with a small window and windows are timber framed sash windows with each sash divided into three panes by horizontal glazing bars. Other windows around the building are aluminium framed.

The third building in the complex is the presbytery to the north west of the church which is a 1950s brick, fibre cement and tiled house set within a garden setting. The house is symmetrical in planform to the front elevation incorporating a central projecting verandah with brick piers supporting the hipped tiled roof with the main entry into the building in this section. The verandah is flanked by two wings each with its own tiled hipped roof. The walls are clad with fibre cement sheeting on top of a brick plinth. Two further wings are set back from the main elevation again each with a hipped tiled roof. The main body of the building sits underneath an expansive hipped roof.

A small grotto enclosed by palisade fencing is located in the garden of the presbytery.

History

St. Anne’s Church in Hehir Street Belmont was built in 1914 by local builder Joseph William Blacklock to a design by architect Augustus Rieussett for a cost of £ 1000.
Paddy Love and Charles Courtland went guarantors for the church building. It was officially opened and consecrated on 6 December 1914 by His Grace Archbishop Clune. Features of the Church are the lead light windows.

Before this Church was built, Mass was celebrated each Sunday in the home of Mr and Mrs Charles Courtland in Belgravia Street. Two priests travelled out from St. Mary’s Cathedral, Perth each week.

To begin with St. Anne’s Church, Belmont was included in the Victoria Park parish and served by priests from St. Joachim’s and sometimes the Cathedral. However, on the first Sunday in August 1940, His Grace Archbishop Prendiville constituted Belmont as an independent parish with Rev. Father Ahern in charge.

November 3, 1940 saw the opening of the Presbytery and also the opening of a new school building.

In the early 1950s, St Maria Goretti school opened in Redcliffe and the school functions were relocated to that site.

The former school building on this site continues to be used by the parish.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: High
Authenticity: High

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

Disclaimer

This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.