ST. MARGARET'S ANGLICAN 1) CHURCH, 2) FORMER VICARAGE (DENDY HOUSE), 3) ADOBE HALL AND 4) GROUNDS, ORIGINALLY CHRIST CHURCH, PITT ST, ELTHAM

What is significant?
The 1860-61 church building, the c1869 additions and alterations, the stained glass and the pre-1950 fixed furnishings and the Dendy House (vicarage) the mature exotic site planting and the surrounding site to the title boundaries.

How is it significant?
The church and vikerage are historically, spiritually, architecturally, aesthetically and socially significant to the State of Victoria.

Why is it significant?
The church is historically significant because it is the oldest church in the former Shire of Eltham and has associations with the philanthropist and founder of Brighton, Henry Dendy (who donated the land on which the church is built), the architect Nathaniel Billing and the prominent local builder, George Stebbing (Criteria B & H). The church is architecturally and aesthetically significant because it is constructed in the Gothic Revival style with a number of stained glass windows of various dates. The overall design is well proportioned with the surface brick patterns relieving an otherwise austere design (Criterion F). The church is spiritually and socially significant because it has been an important place of worship for the people of Eltham for almost 150 years (Criterion G).

The Dendy House (vicarage) is historically and socially significant because it is connected to the church and the development of the Eltham area (Criteria A & G). Together, the church and the vicarage are aesthetically significant because they form a significant streetscape feature (Criterion E).

BICK STUDY, 1992
St. Margaret's is the oldest church in the Shire of Eltham, has historic associations with architect Nathaniel Billing and is also a very early use of polychromatic brickwork in Victoria. Billing was one of the first Melbourne architects to employ polychromatic brickwork and an important early architect. St. Margaret's also has historic associations with its prominent local builder George Stebbing. The original vicarage (Dendy House) at the rear of the church is also an important part of the cultural significance of this place.

BASIS OF SIGNIFICANCE:

ILLUSTRATION OF THE THEMES

HISTORY

ARCHITECTURE

RARITY

STREETSCAPE

DEGREE OF SIGNIFICANCE: CHURCH, DENDY HOUSE AND SITE STATE SIGNIFICANCE, MUD BRICK HALL LOCAL SIGNIFICANCE

EXTENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: ENTIRE CHURCH INCLUDING STAINED GLASS AND PRE 1950 FIXED FURNISHINGS, MATURE EXOTIC SITE PLANTING, DENDY HOUSE, HALL AND SITE.

Group

Religion

Category

Church