Beechworth, VIC - Christ Church Anglican

Year Built: 1858

Denomination: Anglican

Address: Corner Ford & Church Streets, Beechworth, Victoria, 3747

Architect: Leonard Terry

Architectural Style: Low and Mixed Gothic

Traditional Owners: Min-jan-buttu people

Last Updated: 21/02/2024

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History and Architecture:

The first Rector was The Reverend Cooper Searle and a rectory was built for him in 1855. At the time the present church hall was the first church building. The Victorian Government provided two-thirds of the building costs for the current church.

The Church was erected in two stages. The foundation stone for the first stage, comprising the nave, was laid in 1858; the contractors were Stevens and Balfour. The tower and chancel were added in 1864. Built of local granite, the church is dominated by the square tower centrally located at the west end. Pairs of buttresses express each corner of the tower and it is crowned by a castellated parapet. The architect was Leonard Terry.

In the beginning, the parish of Beechworth included Myrtleford and Eldorado and gave its name to the Archdeconary of Beechworth. In 1901 when the Dioeces of Wangaratta was formed, there was serious consideration given to the making of Beechworth the Cathedral. This was finally rejected in favour of Wangaratta owing to the fact that the later town (now a city) was more centrally situated.

From the early 1860's the parish priest acted as chaplain to the Beechworth gaol He also became chaplain to the Mental Hospital. In 1868 this was firmly established and so the parish only had to find 250 of the 350 due to the Rector.

Clergy:

This list may not contain every serving cleric, past or present, for this church.
Further submissions welcomed.

Years Name Annotation D.o.B D.o.D
1855 - 1860 Rev C. Searle
1860 - 1863 Rev W. R.L. Bennet
1863 - 1885 Rev W. Corbet
1885 - 1893 Rev G. F. Cross
1893 - 1897 Rev Canon Thomas Woolcock Serjeant 1824 1907
1897 - 1900 Rev G. Pennicott
1900 - Archdeacon Potter
- Rev James Eakins Stannage 1887 1968
- Rev A. F. Falconer
1927 - 1933 Rev William Stanley Dau
1933 - 1940 Rev L. W. Bull 1899 1998
- Rev A. B. Brown
1953 - 1956 Rev Robert Holden Ford 1906 1983
- Rev John Holdsworth Shields 1905 1985
1959 - Rev R. E.D. Hull
1972 - 1982 Rev Malcolm Leonard Crawley 1939
1984 - 1986 Rev David Phillip Lamont 1940
1984 - 1985 Rev Bruce Raymond Hancock Asst C 1944
1985 - Rev Warren Charles Graco LT 1924
1990 - Rev Michael Komer Giffin Asst 1953
1992 - Rev R. C. Beatie
2009 - Rev S. Eisemen

Organ:

In 1901 when the A pipe organ, built by the Melbourne organ builder, William Anderson, was installed in the church in 1887, believed to have been originally installed in St. George Roman Catholic Church in Carlton in 1882. It is a single manual organ of eight speaking stops, which retains its original action, console, pipe work and case containing dummy wooden pipes. A complete restoration was completed in 2008.
A complete history and photos can be seen here.

Source:

1. Centenary of the building of the Christ Church Beechworth 1859 - 1959  283.9455 C 33 C
2. Organ Historical Trust of Australia with permission.