ST CUTHBERT’S CHURCH
PROSPECT ANGLICAN
PAUL SCOTT
A brief history of this Church is given below. However, if you want to begin your tour of the Church immediately, tap / click on START . You can also access intermediate points in the tour by a tap / click on the following links:
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SATELLITE VIEW
St Cuthbert’s Church lies at the corner of Prospect Road and the smaller Ballville Street. There is limited car parking around the Church
We notice from the satellite view at left that the main axis of this Church is geographically almost exactly east – west with the sanctuary apse to the east. This means that the geographical directions and the liturgical directions (using capital initial letters) which we usually use on these sites, coincide.
The main section of the Church is a long rectangle, wth an Eastern apse for the sanctuary, a Lady Chapel to the Southeast, and two small side entry porches at the Western end. A further access porch extends South from the Lady Chapel. At the Northeastern corner a larger vestry for priest and choir has been added, and slightly separated from the main building to the North is an annex – a Church hall – with kitchen facilities. A bell tower stands to the South of the nave.
We begin our exploration from the front of the Church and walk around the Church in an anticlockwise direction, past the bell tower. We find our way blocked at the Northeast corner, so we retrace our steps. After a brief entry into the Church, we join our group in the annex. We then enter the Church by the Northwest door.
HISTORY
Year Built: 1915
Address: Corner Ballville Street/Prospect Road, Prospect SA 5082
First services in the area were held in 1879 in a mud hut (the site of the later Medindie Congregational church), then in Mrs Whitby’s private school (corner of Carter St & Prospect Rd) until a mission church & school were opened in 1884 in Clifton St. These were sold in 1924.
The foundation stone of the present Church was laid on 10 Apr 1915 by Bishop Nutter Thomas. The Church architect was Dean Berry, and the Church was opened 24 Nov 1915. A war memorial hall was erected in nearby Gloucester Street in 1920. The foundation stone was laid on 20 Nov 1920 by Governor Sir Archibald Weigall, and the Hall opened 22 Aug 1921. The Hall has since been demolished. The bell tower & bells were dedicated on 7 Nov 1971.
Historical notes ...
‘The new edifice . . . Money has not been spared to make it a church beautiful. . . . The walls will be of brick, and stone, well buttressed and artistically designed. On the south side, at the rear, a day chapel is designed . . . Provision is being made for a tower 70 ft. High, but this will not be constructed at present. The design, however, will appear quite complete without this. The arcade is to be of rubbed brickwork, with pointed arches.’ [Daily Herald 12 Apr 1915]
‘Four years ago the big building in Gloucester street, known as St. Cuthbert’s Memorial Hall, was started. This structure comprises a large hall, a kindergarten, and 16 classrooms for day and Sunday school work, and stands as “memorial to the valour and sacrifice of Australian men and women in the Great War”. . . During the next few months several striking additions are to be made to the church. A chancel screen; which will be one of the finest in Australia, is in course of construction, as are also, a handsomely carved sounding-board and canopy for the pulpit. Two large stained glass windows for the sanctuary are also being ordered from England.’ [Register 5 Jan 1926]
‘To provide additional vestry accommodation, a building, 50 ft. long, 20 ft. wide, and 30 ft. high, will be added to St. Cuthbert's Anglican Church, Prospect, soon. It will contain a large choir vestry and a minister's vestry, and will provide strongroom accommodation and fireproof cupboards for records. The existing choir vestry will be used as an organ chamber.’ [Advertiser 24 Oct 1933
‘Two beautiful sanctuary windows from Messrs. Heaton, Butler, & Bayne, London, are to be dedicated in S. Cuthbert’s Church, Prospect, by the Rector (Rev. W. H. Johnson), on Sunday morning, September 19. They are in memory of the late Mr. John Barker, and his son, Mr. A. E. Barker.’ [Register 11 Sep 1926]
https://www.flickr.com/photos/31967465@N04/8245841566/in/photostream/ [aquilareen]
The earlier Church building, located at 20 Clifton Street, Prospect, is now privately owned. It was built about 1883.
