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Our Lady of Lourdes Church, School and Presbytery

Other Name

Former Cavendish House (Presbytery)

Location

629 High Street PRAHRAN, STONNINGTON CITY

Level

Included in Heritage Overlay

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Our Lady of Lourdes Church
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Presbytery
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School
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School

Statement of Significance

What is significant?
Our Lady of Lourdes school and hall built in 1922-23, with later extensions c. 1930, the presbytery, former Cavendish House of c.1880, and the church of 1934 designed by Jorgensen and Schreiber is of significance. The Norfolk Island pine tree contributes to the setting of Cavendish House and is a landmark tree identifying the church group of buildings.

How is it significant?
The three buildings and Norfolk Island pine tree comprising Our Lady of Lourdes is of local significance to the City of Stonnington.

Why is it significant?
The school/hall constructed in 1922-23 to the design of architect and parishioner Mr B Moriarty is associated with the first development of the Armadale -Toorak Parish of the Catholic Church.

The presbytery, formerly Cavendish house is associated with grocer Edward Rule whose business operated from the corner of Chapel and High Streets, Prahran. Later inhabitants included furniture dealer Benjamin Nathan who is associated with the Rippon Lea Estate in Elsternwick.

Architect and artist Justus Jorgensen is a key figure in establishing the artist's colony at Montsalvat, Eltham, and Our Lady of Lourdes is one of the larger church commissions undertaken by the firm of Schreiber and Jorgensen. (Criteria A & H)

The presbytery is a representative example of Victorian mansion design with some distinguishing features of well detailed render decoration and a pair of symmetrical bay windows. From the street the building has a high integrity and the Norfolk Island pine contributes to the setting.

Our Lady of Lourdes Church is a representative example of gothic revival church architecture exhibiting traditional features of the composition including bell tower, gothic arch window openings, columns around the main door and gable roof form. The church is of technical significance for its early use of synthetic stone dressings to the door and window openings. The church and presbytery are a landmark in High Street and are highly intact from the street. The three buildings together represent an unusually diverse church group. (Criteria D, E & F)

As a functioning parish church place would be expected to have significance for past and present clergy and parishioners. (Criterion G).

Group