St Mary's Star of the Sea Church

Statement of Significance

The Church has architectural significance for its unusual style and appropriately detailed local materials. It has historical significance for its association with its designer, Monsignor Hawes, well known as the designer of the cathedral in Geraldton and other country town churches. With the presbytery and grounds, the place has environmental significance for its contribution to the townscape of Francis St and the Tower is a landmark visible in many vistas around the town.

Physical Description

A concrete block and asbestos tile Church of unusual form, built in 1835 to the design of Monsignor J Hawes. The Church forms a group with its Presbytery on the triangular block that extends back to include the Catholic school behind. The church is aligned with Johnson St, slightly off orthodox orientation, while the Presbytery faces Rushton Street, thus leaving garden space between the two buildings on the north. The presbytery is of an earlier date that the Church, a typical northwest brick and iron two roomed cottage with latticed front verandah to Rushton St. There are various additions to the rear. The cottage wall facing the Church has been rendered to imitate the blockwork of the Church. The Church consists of a tower over an entrance porch, a Nave and a Sacristy and side chapel in the transepts. The symmetrical balance is altered internally by having only one aisle to the south of the nave. On the north side there is a confessional and a porch that gives access to the garden. The tower is unusual in extending almost the full width of the Nave to enclose a gallery opening into the back of the Nave over the porch. The tower narrows beyond the separate gallery roof to become a bell-tower, a strong visual element in Francis St and Carnarvon generally. The roof is covered with Canadian pattern asbestos tiles which have the pindan patina characteristic of Carnarvon and other north west towns. The roof to the Sanctuary is higher than that of the Nave and has been recently ceiled with plasterboard. In the Nave, the asbestos tiles are exposed over hammer beam-like roof trusses which are tied across by steel rods. External walls are constructed of locally made pindan concrete lock with specially shaped blocks to make cornices, corbels and cappings, all of which are in excellent condition and a find example of local building tradition. The colour and texture of these blocks is particularly subtle and well suited to the architectural form and the town scape setting of the building. Inside the walls are rendered and painted including the robust aisle columns so characteristic of Hawe’s work. Gothic windows to the Nave, Sanctuary and gallery have some fine stained and painted glass. Round windows high up in the Sanctuary create a dramatic lighting effect over the altar.

History

Assessment 1989 Construction: 1934 - 35 Designer: Monsignor J Hawes

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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