St George's Masonic Centre is a heritage-listed
masonic lodge
A Masonic lodge, often termed a private lodge or constituent lodge, is the basic organisational unit of Freemasonry. It is also commonly used as a term for a building in which such a unit meets. Every new lodge must be warranted or chartered ...
at 50A Guy Street,
Warwick
Warwick ( ) is a market town, civil parish and the county town of Warwickshire in the Warwick District in England, adjacent to the River Avon. It is south of Coventry, and south-east of Birmingham. It is adjoined with Leamington Spa and Whi ...
,
Southern Downs Region
The Southern Downs Region is a local government area in the Darling Downs region of Queensland, Australia, along the state's boundary with New South Wales. It was created in 2008 from a merger of the Shire of Warwick and the Shire of Stanthorpe. ...
,
Queensland
)
, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, established_ ...
, Australia. It was designed by William Wallace and built from 1886 to 1887. It was added to the
Queensland Heritage Register
The Queensland Heritage Register is a heritage register, a statutory list of places in Queensland, Australia that are protected by Queensland legislation, the Queensland Heritage Act 1992. It is maintained by the Queensland Heritage Council. As a ...
on 21 October 1992.
History
St Georges Masonic Centre is a double-storeyed sandstone building, the foundation stone of which was laid in November 1886. The building, which was opened in October 1887, was designed by Warwick architect William Wallace, who was also one of the trustees for the Masonic Lodge at this period. Wallace became the
Mayor of Warwick
The City of Warwick was a local government area administering the regional centre of Warwick in the Darling Downs region of Queensland. The City covered an area of , and existed as a local government entity from 1861 until 1994, when it was dis ...
in 1899. The centre was built on approximately half an acre of land, one block west of the main business centre of Warwick.
[
The site was granted to John Bennett in 1860, and had a succession of owners until it was acquired by Charles Baker in June 1885. In November 1885 the property was taken over by the trustees for the Masonic Lodge.][
Both the laying of the foundation stone and the opening of the centre were elaborate occasions. The laying of the foundation stone was accompanied by full masonic ceremonials, including a procession of the ''"brethren of the mystic tie"'' through town to the site of the new hall. A scroll, the current coins of the realm and copies of the local newspapers were deposited in the cavity of the stone, before it was lowered into position. Both the laying of the foundation stone and the opening of the hall were celebrated with a ball.][
At the time of its opening the centre was described as ''"... the addition of another public building, o Warwicksurpassing all the others for magnificence..."''. The hall was notable for a number of features, including the patent springs under the ball room floor which had been manufactured specially for this purpose and were the first to be used in Warwick. The foundations of the masonic centre were composed of sand, and with the exception of the ]Warwick Town Hall
Warwick Town Hall is a heritage-listed town hall at 72 Palmerin Street, Warwick, Southern Downs Region, Queensland, Australia. It was built from 1887 to 1917. It is also known as Footballers Memorial. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Reg ...
, this was the only building in Warwick at the time having sand foundations. The building was constructed of sandstone, and together with buildings such as the Warwick Court House
Warwick Court House and Police Complex is a heritage-listed courthouse at 88 Fitzroy Street, Warwick, Queensland, Warwick, Southern Downs Region, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by John James Clark and built from 1885 to 1914 by William ...
, Warwick Town Hall
Warwick Town Hall is a heritage-listed town hall at 72 Palmerin Street, Warwick, Southern Downs Region, Queensland, Australia. It was built from 1887 to 1917. It is also known as Footballers Memorial. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Reg ...
, Post Office, the goods shed at the Warwick railway station
Warwick railway station serves the town of Warwick in Warwickshire, England. The station is served by Chiltern Railways (who manage the station), and also less frequently by West Midlands Trains. It is located around half a mile north of the ...
and various churches are among a group of important sandstone buildings constructed in Warwick in the late nineteenth century.[
Ownership of the land was transferred to The Trustees of the St George's Lodge No. 20 of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of Queensland in 1959.][
]
Description
The Masonic Centre is a monumental double-storeyed sandstone building with a classical facade, and a corrugated iron
Corrugated galvanised iron or steel, colloquially corrugated iron (near universal), wriggly tin (taken from UK military slang), pailing (in Caribbean English), corrugated sheet metal (in North America) and occasionally abbreviated CGI is a bu ...
hipped roof
A hip roof, hip-roof or hipped roof, is a type of roof where all sides slope downwards to the walls, usually with a fairly gentle slope (although a tented roof by definition is a hipped roof with steeply pitched slopes rising to a peak). Thus, ...
. The building assumes considerable prominence on the street, where its neighbours are single-storeyed detached buildings. The building has a simple rectangular plan running east-west, with a 1963 rendered blockwork annex to the rear. It contains a hall with an entry vestibule
Vestibule or Vestibulum can have the following meanings, each primarily based upon a common origin, from early 17th century French, derived from Latin ''vestibulum, -i n.'' "entrance court".
Anatomy
In general, vestibule is a small space or cavity ...
on each level: the upper level hall is richly appointed to cater to masonic ceremonial meetings, while the relatively spartan ground floor hall is used for more casual gatherings.[
Externally, the rough hewn sandstone walls to the side and rear of the building contrast strongly with the finely carved symmetrical parapeted front facade. This facade has paired ]Doric Doric may refer to:
* Doric, of or relating to the Dorians of ancient Greece
** Doric Greek, the dialects of the Dorians
* Doric order, a style of ancient Greek architecture
* Doric mode, a synonym of Dorian mode
* Doric dialect (Scotland)
* Doric ...
column
A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. In other words, a column is a compression member. ...
s, flanked by one and a half squared pilaster
In classical architecture
Classical architecture usually denotes architecture which is more or less consciously derived from the principles of Greek and Roman architecture of classical antiquity, or sometimes even more specifically, from the ...
s. The columns are spanned by a large pediment
Pediments are gables, usually of a triangular shape.
Pediments are placed above the horizontal structure of the lintel, or entablature, if supported by columns. Pediments can contain an overdoor and are usually topped by hood moulds.
A pedimen ...
inlaid with the compass and square symbol, resting on an entablature
An entablature (; nativization of Italian , from "in" and "table") is the superstructure of moldings and bands which lies horizontally above columns, resting on their capitals. Entablatures are major elements of classical architecture, and ...
inlaid with other masonic and Hebrew symbols. The columns and pilasters rest on a high plinth
A pedestal (from French ''piédestal'', Italian ''piedistallo'' 'foot of a stall') or plinth is a support at the bottom of a statue, vase, column, or certain altars. Smaller pedestals, especially if round in shape, may be called socles. In c ...
, and frame an arched doorway surmounted by a pediment
Pediments are gables, usually of a triangular shape.
Pediments are placed above the horizontal structure of the lintel, or entablature, if supported by columns. Pediments can contain an overdoor and are usually topped by hood moulds.
A pedimen ...
and three arched windows.[
The building, entered via central timber double doors opens into the ground floor entry vestibule. The entry vestibule has a dressing/store room to its right, and contains a fine set of carved cedar ]stairs
Stairs are a structure designed to bridge a large vertical distance between lower and higher levels by dividing it into smaller vertical distances. This is achieved as a diagonal series of horizontal platforms called steps which enable passage ...
with cupboards underneath. Another set of timber double doors open into the ground floor hall which has painted rough-hewn sandstone walls, timber boarded ceilings and a polished hardwood floor. The floor of the upper level hall is supported by two round timber columns and beams with decorative casings. The room is lit with timber sash windows with deep splayed dark timber reveals, and contains numerous lodge-related photos and prints.[
The upper floor vestibule contains two banks of timber cupboards used for storage of robes, under a more recently added ]mezzanine
A mezzanine (; or in Italian language, Italian, a ''mezzanino'') is an intermediate floor in a building which is partly open to the double-height ceilinged floor below, or which does not extend over the whole floorspace of the building, a loft ...
. The timber boarded ceiling is decorated with two fine carved timber rosettes. The western wall has three arched diamond-glazed windows with stained glass
Stained glass is coloured glass as a material or works created from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant religious buildings. Although tradition ...
borders and inset with masonic symbols.[
The ceremonial hall is an impressive room with rich decoration and furnishings. The walls are embellished with fluted pilasters framing diamond glazed arched windows with stained glass edging. The pilasters are spanned by a substantial plaster ]architrave
In classical architecture, an architrave (; from it, architrave "chief beam", also called an epistyle; from Greek ἐπίστυλον ''epistylon'' "door frame") is the lintel or beam that rests on the capitals of columns.
The term can ...
. A deep coved cornice
In architecture, a cornice (from the Italian ''cornice'' meaning "ledge") is generally any horizontal decorative moulding that crowns a building or furniture element—for example, the cornice over a door or window, around the top edge of a ...
rises to a timber boarded ceiling which has three intricate roses
A rose is either a woody perennial flowering plant of the genus ''Rosa'' (), in the family Rosaceae (), or the flower it bears. There are over three hundred species and tens of thousands of cultivars. They form a group of plants that can be e ...
. The floor, which is stepped around its perimeter, is covered with red carpet, and has a black and white linoleum centrepiece in "masonic pavement" pattern.[
The hall is laid out according to masonic practice with the Grand Master located to the east, the Senior Warden the west, the Junior Warden the south and the secretary to the north. The Grand Master's seat is framed with a carved timber ]aedicule
In ancient Roman religion, an ''aedicula'' (plural ''aediculae'') is a small shrine, and in classical architecture refers to a niche covered by a pediment or entablature supported by a pair of columns and typically framing a statue,"aedicula, n." ...
with a curved pediment. All office bearers have timber "thrones" with triangular backs inlaid with the "jewels" or symbols of their office. These chairs are draped with collars also bearing the "jewels of office". A velvet upholstered bible pedestal
A pedestal (from French ''piédestal'', Italian ''piedistallo'' 'foot of a stall') or plinth is a support at the bottom of a statue, vase, column, or certain altars. Smaller pedestals, especially if round in shape, may be called socles. In ci ...
sits in the middle of the room, with a triangular timber encased "G" suspended from the ceiling above it. A polished brass rostrum bearing memorial plaques is located to the south east of the Bible pedestal. Other furniture in the room inscribed with masonic symbols includes four small timber cube-shaped tables, a velvet upholstered timber kneeling stool, a small timber lift-top desk, and three timber Ionic, Doric and Corinthian Corinthian or Corinthians may refer to:
*Several Pauline epistles, books of the New Testament of the Bible:
**First Epistle to the Corinthians
**Second Epistle to the Corinthians
**Third Epistle to the Corinthians (Orthodox)
*A demonym relating to ...
half-columns which relate to the three key office bearers. The room contains numerous photos and certificates, and a carved timber and marble honour roll on the northern wall.[
]
Heritage listing
St George's Masonic Centre was listed on the Queensland Heritage Register
The Queensland Heritage Register is a heritage register, a statutory list of places in Queensland, Australia that are protected by Queensland legislation, the Queensland Heritage Act 1992. It is maintained by the Queensland Heritage Council. As a ...
on 21 October 1992 having satisfied the following criteria.[
The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history.
The building is a rare example of a sandstone masonic temple in Queensland and demonstrates the principal characteristics of both a substantial masonic temple in Queensland and a late nineteenth century sandstone public building in Warwick.][
The building exhibits aesthetic qualities valued by the community, in particular; it contributes to the streetscape as a prominent monumental building and contains well-crafted elements, notably the furniture in the ceremonial hall, the stairs, the window reveals and plasterwork.][
As a place which has been in continuous use as a Masonic Centre since 1887, the configuration of furniture and fittings in the upper hall has a strong association with masonic ceremonies and the masonic lodge.][
The place demonstrates rare, uncommon or endangered aspects of Queensland's cultural heritage.
The building is a rare example of a sandstone masonic temple in Queensland and demonstrates the principal characteristics of both a substantial masonic temple in Queensland and a late nineteenth century sandstone public building in Warwick.][
The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a particular class of cultural places.
The building is a rare example of a sandstone masonic temple in Queensland and demonstrates the principal characteristics of both a substantial masonic temple in Queensland and a late nineteenth century sandstone public building in Warwick.][
The place is important because of its aesthetic significance.
The building exhibits aesthetic qualities valued by the community, in particular; it contributes to the streetscape as a prominent monumental building and contains well-crafted elements, notably the furniture in the ceremonial hall, the stairs, the window reveals and plasterwork.][
The place has a strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group for social, cultural or spiritual reasons.
As a place which has been in continuous use as a Masonic Centre since 1887, the configuration of furniture and fittings in the upper hall has a strong association with masonic ceremonies and the masonic lodge.][
]
References
Attribution
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Georges Masonic Centre Warwick
Queensland Heritage Register
Warwick, Queensland
Community buildings in Queensland
Articles incorporating text from the Queensland Heritage Register
Masonic buildings in Queensland