The Christ Church Anglican Church is a heritage-listed

Anglican Anglicanism, also known as Episcopalianism in some countries, is a Western Christianity, Western Christian tradition which developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the ...

church Church may refer to: Religion * Church (building), a place/building for Christian religious activities and praying * Church (congregation), a local congregation of a Christian denomination * Church service, a formalized period of Christian comm ...

located at 345-347

Great Western Highway Great Western Highway is a state highway in New South Wales, Australia. From east to west, the highway links Sydney with Bathurst, New South Wales, Bathurst, on the state's Central Tablelands. The highway also has local road names between the ...

, Springwood,

City of Blue Mountains The City of Blue Mountains is a Local government in Australia, local government area of New South Wales, Australia, governed by the Blue Mountains City Council. The city is located in the Blue Mountains (New South Wales), Blue Mountains, on th ...

New South Wales New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...

, Australia. It was designed by Sir John Sulman and built from 1888 to 1889. It is also known as Christ Church of England and Springwood. The property is owned by Springwood Anglican Parish. It was added to the

New South Wales State Heritage Register The New South Wales State Heritage Register, also known as NSW State Heritage Register, is a heritage list of places in the state of New South Wales, Australia, that are protected by New South Wales legislation, generally covered by the Heritag ...

on 2 April 1999.

History

The church was designed by Sir John Sulman, who worked in Australia from 1885 and who had a nearby holiday residence in Lawson.Robert Staas, funding application letter, 11/2010 The major part of his practice was in commercial, institutional and ecclesiastical areas and he was responsible for more than ninety churches in England prior to his migration to New South Wales. It was built from 1888-9. The main slate roof is an important part of the aesthetic quality of the building and together with the prominent tower has high visibility from the Great Western Highway. Sulman's original conception as seen from his drawings, was never completed. This included a western and eastern transept at the rear of the church and a massive crowning tower between the two. In 1961 the church added the eastern transept, according to the original plans. This was erected in stone with considerable sensitivity. The growth of the church and its adjacent complex over a century has been significant evidence of the social role Christchurch has continued to play in the local Anglican community.Christo Aitken, grant application letter, 11/2010 Additions and alterations to the place were made in the 1980s.

Description

The building is a fine

sandstone Sandstone is a Clastic rock#Sedimentary clastic rocks, clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of grain size, sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate mineral, silicate grains, Cementation (geology), cemented together by another mineral. Sand ...

church with a simple but sensitively designed interior. It forms part of a group of buildings which includes a separate dwelling, "Southall" to the west of the property and a fine stand of trees between the two. The roof is slate and the sandstone is local. It is a fine example of a Victorian Academic Gothic style church with high quality sandstone detailing and a prominent slate pitched roof to the main body of the church and the tower.

Condition

As at 5 January 2011, sections of the slate roof require careful removal and rehanging, as the nails holding the slates have corroded and need replacement. The tower roof, valleys, ridges and loose slates are the most urgent. A recent insurance inspection report gave the church an excellent report (2011 grant application).

Modifications and dates

*1961added the eastern

transept A transept (with two semitransepts) is a transverse part of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In cruciform ("cross-shaped") cruciform plan, churches, in particular within the Romanesque architecture, Romanesque a ...

, according to the original plans *1980sadditions and alterations. *2010$9,000 currently being spent on replacing wiring in the church. A few damaged roof tiles were repaired --supporting nails have corroded/need replacement (grant application) *2013-2014$30,000 spent replacing slate on tower, since original slate had rusted and was unsafe

Heritage listing

As at 15 December 2005, Christ Church Springwood is a fine example of a Victorian Academic Gothic style church featuring high quality sandstone detailing. Extensions to the church to create the chancel, north transept and tower are in keeping with Sulman's original design. The interior of the church has an unusually peaceful atmosphere created by the use of pale sandstone and stained timber and restrained detailing. The church is a significant landmark on the Great Western Highway. The Christ Church has high local significance as the principal centre for Anglicanism in the lower Blue Mountains for over 110 years. The growth of the church and its adjacent complex over a century has been significant evidence of the social role Christ Church has continued to play for the local Anglican community. The major pieces of church furniture are highly significant memorials to the leading players in the creation of the building in the Victorian period. The Christ Church Springwood is built to the design of John Sulman, a significant architect of the late 19th and early 20th century. Sulman was also a renowned educator and was responsible for the Sulman Medal, the highest award for architectural design in NSW.LEP 1993 The Christ Church Anglican Church was listed on the

on 2 April 1999.

References

Attribution

External links

*
NSW Heritage Listing accessed 2021-12-08
{{DEFAULTSORT:Christ Church, Springwood Anglican Diocese of Sydney Churches completed in 1889 Springwood John Sulman buildings 1889 establishments in Australia Springwood Springwood Springwood, New South Wales Articles incorporating text from the New South Wales State Heritage Register Sandstone churches in Australia