St.George's Presbyterian Church, Former

History:

The foundation stone for St Georges Presbyterian Church was laid on 23 December 1861, and the church opened on 6 June, 1862. The church was a major centre of Presbyterian mission work in the inner suburbs.

In 1907 an extension was provided immediately to the east and in 1924 alterations were made to accommodate a kindergarten. On 26 June 1937, the John Barnaby Hall and kindergarten adjoining the church in Otter Street were opened, the front portion being demolished in 1967.

The building is now known as St Martin's Community Centre.

Description:

The former St Georges Presbyterian Church, at 215 Wellington Street, Collingwood, is a mid- Victorian Gothic Revival bluestone church. The plan consists of a nave and the base of a spire which was never completed. Walls are of bluestone, with pointed arch diamond-pane leadlight windows with hopper openings along the length of the nave, in bays defined by staged buttresses. Decoration is limited to cream brick dressings and rendered offsets to the buttresses. The entrance is via a lower, enclosed porch at the north end of the east elevation.

Internally, the south portion of the nave was built in as office space c.1937 as part of the adjoining kindergarten development. The remaining portion of the nave has level pressed metal ceiling linings and ventilators and rendered walls with ashlar markings. The only decorated window is in honour of Rev. D McKenzie, the minister of the church from 4 April 1878 to 15 November, 1904.

Significance:
The former St Georges Presbyterian Church, at 215 Wellington Street, Collingwood, is of local historical and architectural significance. Historically, the church was a centre of Presbyterian mission work in the inner suburbs. Architecturally, the building is a simple early bluestone structure which is an important heritage element in the Wellington and Otter Street streetscapes.

Group

Religion

Category

Church