Holy Trinity Church, Adelaide

Last updated

Holy Trinity Church HolyTrinityChurchAdelaide.JPG
Holy Trinity Church
South Australian Church Notice 1836 SAChurch.jpg
South Australian Church Notice 1836
Illustration of Holy Trinity Church, Adelaide, 1845. Illustration of Holy Trinity Church.jpg
Illustration of Holy Trinity Church, Adelaide, 1845.
Photograph of the Holy Trinity, late 1800s Photograph of the Holy Trinity..jpg
Photograph of the Holy Trinity, late 1800s

Trinity Church [1] (also known as Holy Trinity Church Adelaide, is an Australian evangelical Anglican church located at 88 North Terrace in the city of Adelaide, South Australia. Trinity Church has five gatherings at the North Terrace location each Sunday, as well as various other meetings throughout the week. [2]

Contents

History

Adelaide in 1839 as viewed south-east from North Terrace, including Trinity Church (the church tower lost its "peaked cap" in 1844) Adelaide North Tce 1839.jpg
Adelaide in 1839 as viewed south-east from North Terrace, including Trinity Church (the church tower lost its "peaked cap" in 1844)

Trinity Church is historically significant in that it contains elements of the earliest surviving Anglican church building in South Australia. Of special note is the William IV window that was brought to Adelaide in 1836.

The land on which the church stands was donated by Pascoe St Leger Grenfell along with 40 acres of country land for a cemetery and "glebe" lands. Pascoe St Leger Grenfell, the holder of a preliminary land order, Raikes Currie and the Reverend Sir Henry Robert Dukinfield of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts (SPG) who held the collective funds and, thirdly, the men to whom they were transferring their powers, namely James Hurtle Fisher, Osmond Gilles and Charles Mann. Fisher was to be resident commissioner in South Australia of the Colonisation Commission, having responsibility independent of the governor for the administration of land in the new colony; Gilles was to be the treasurer and Mann the advocate general or principal legal officer of the colony. Grenfell transferred control over order no. 171 for a town acre and over 40 acres of country land to be selected in conjunction with the town acre, later known as Trinity Gardens. The conveyance did not have to specify that Currie and Dukinfield hand over money and the portable church, but it may be presumed they did so — alternatively they may have entrusted these resources to John Morphett, appointed as SPG's attorney in the colony. The objects of the trust were to use the town acre as a site for "the erection of a church where Divine Service could be celebrated according to the rites and ceremonies of the Church of England". The same acre was also to provide space for a schoolroom and a parsonage and garden for the minister of the church. The country land was to provide six to eight acres for a cemetery and the remainder to be "glebe land", in the familiar phrase of the Church of England, to provide income for the support of the minister. [3]

The church was built in three main stages. It was originally planned that the church would be a prefabricated building imported from England; [3] however, when the prefabricated building arrived from England badly damaged, it was decided instead to build a stone church, Henry J. Moseley the builder. [4] Governor Hindmarsh laid the foundation stone on 28 January 1838 and the church opened in about August that year, within two years of the settlement of Adelaide (see History of Adelaide). The building quickly became a landmark with its "peaked cap" top tower and the Vulliamy clock. (Benjamin Lewis Vulliamy 1780–1854, was the clockmaker to King William IV and Queen Adelaide. [5] )

In 1844 the church was closed for repairs [5] and the clock was removed for safekeeping. The body of the church was rebuilt and re-roofed and the tower lost its peaked cap. It reopened in August 1845. When Bishop Short arrived in 1847, Holy Trinity assumed many of the functions of a cathedral and was - until other congregations (especially Christ Church, North Adelaide) were established — the place of worship for the governors, many of the colony’s prominent families and the military. [3]

Memorial plaque to James Fisher, resident commissioner of the colony of South Australia, first Mayor of Adelaide and trustee of Holy Trinity Church. Placed on the east wall of the nave of the church HolyTrinityChurchMemorialPlaque.JPG
Memorial plaque to James Fisher, resident commissioner of the colony of South Australia, first Mayor of Adelaide and trustee of Holy Trinity Church. Placed on the east wall of the nave of the church

In 1878, there was a proposal to rebuild when some money was subscribed, but this did not take place until the congregation decided in the mid-1880s to completely rebuild the church to a design by the prominent architect Edward John Woods, using the mellow sandstone which eventually weathered to match the original limestone. It was around this time that the present name of "Holy Trinity" became current.

The hall and the rectory are also significant features in the precinct. [3] The hall was built in 1887 using a donation from a parishioner. The original rectory was a prefabricated "Manning" building which arrived in better condition than the church. It was replaced by the present building in 1851 and was the home of seven successive incumbents. It is now used as offices.

The Revd Lance Shilton, later Dean of Sydney, was rector of Holy Trinity from 1957 to 1973.

Ministry

Trinity Church is a large evangelical and conservative Anglican church. Its main campus is adjacent to the University of South Australia (Uni SA), City West campus. Through its involvement with the Australian Fellowship of Evangelical Students on tertiary campuses it also has links to its students [6] at Adelaide University and the Uni SA City campuses. Members of Trinity City Church are also involved in the Church Missionary Society (CMS) and Scripture Union. Trinity has Sunday school for children in primary school, a youth group for high school students, a young adults group, a weekday women's meeting group, a large number of small Bible study groups and various other groups.

Trinity Church is part of the Adelaide diocese and has an increasing number of locally trained staff, particularly trainees through the Ministry Training Strategy and students of the Bible College of South Australia. In 2007 Trinity Church was involved in initiating "Equip", a training program for Evangelical Anglican churches in South Australia. This ceased in 2016.[ citation needed ]

Trinity Church has planted thirteen daughter churches: [7]

Heritage listings

State

The building was listed on the South Australian Heritage Register on 11 September 1986. [8]

National

The building was listed on the now-defunct Register of the National Estate on 21 October 1980. [9]  The listing described both the building and its significance as follows: [9]

The first church in South Australia. The original structure built 1838, rebuilt and enlarged 1844-45 rebuilt 1888 (raised tower and extensions E J Woods arch; only the lower parts of the present nave and tower date from 1838 (foundation stone laid 26 January 1838). The clock was made in 1836 for South Australia by Vulliamy, clockmaker to King William IV. The church includes the William IV Window, supposed to be the earliest window in South Australia, having been brought out in 1836 with the prefabricated structure intended as the first church.

Historically very significant as it contains elements of the earliest surviving ecclesiastical building in South Australia. The church has been associated with many important events since the first years of colony. Of special note is the William IV window which was brought to Adelaide in the first year of the colony. Probably the oldest surviving window in South Australia.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, Gibraltar</span> Church in Cathedral Square, Gibraltar

The Cathedral of the Holy Trinity is the cathedral for the Church of England Diocese of Gibraltar in Europe. Located in Cathedral Square, it is sometimes referred to simply as Gibraltar Cathedral, although it should not be confused with the Cathedral of St. Mary the Crowned, which is Gibraltar's Roman Catholic cathedral. The cathedral is particularly notable for its Moorish revival architecture, particularly in its use of horseshoe arches. This is an architectural style inspired by Moorish architecture, appropriate given the period of Moorish control in Gibraltar's history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles Beaumont Howard</span>

Charles Beaumont Howard was a colonial clergyman in South Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adelaide city centre</span> Suburb of Adelaide, South Australia

Adelaide city centre is the inner city locality of Greater Adelaide, the capital city of South Australia. It is known by locals simply as "the City" or "Town" to distinguish it from Greater Adelaide and from the City of Adelaide local government area. The population was 15,115 in the 2016 census.

The Province of South Australia was established by an Act of the British Parliament and was assented to by King William IV on 15 August 1834. Freemasonry became included in the plans for the proposed new settlement with the establishment of a new Lodge in England. On 22 October 1834, the South Australian Lodge of Friendship, No 613 E.C. was warranted and met in London for the first time on 27 November.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Hurtle Fisher</span> Australian politician

Sir James Hurtle Fisher was a lawyer and prominent South Australian pioneer. He was the first Resident Commissioner of the colony of South Australia, the first Mayor of Adelaide and the first resident South Australian to be knighted.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Morphett</span> Australian politician

Sir John Morphett was a South Australian pioneer, landowner and politician. His younger brother George Morphett was also an early settler in South Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles George Everard</span> Australian politician

Dr Charles George Everard MD was a physician, pioneer farmer and Member of the Legislative Council, in the early days of South Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Barton Hack</span>

John Barton Hack was an early settler in South Australia; a prominent farmer, businessman and public figure. He lost his fortune in the financial crisis of 1840 and despite his best efforts, never regained anything like his former influence and prosperity. His son Theodore Hack, younger brother Stephen Hack and nephew Wilton Hack were all figures of some significance in the history of the Colony.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grenfell Street</span> Street running east-west across Adelaide city centre

Grenfell Street is a major street in the north-east quarter of the Adelaide city centre, South Australia. The street runs west-east from King William Street to East Terrace. On the other side of King William Street, it continues as Currie Street. Its intersection with Pulteney Street is encircled by Hindmarsh Square.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Currie Street</span> Street in Adelaide, South Australia

Currie Street is a main street in the Adelaide city centre, South Australia. It runs east–to–west from King William Street, through Light Square, to West Terrace on the western edge of the city centre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Friends Meeting House, Adelaide</span>

The Adelaide meeting house of the Religious Society of Friends ("Quakers") is situated on Pennington Terrace, North Adelaide, South Australia, literally in the shadow of St Peter's Cathedral, on its west side. It is substantially made of timber, the only such church building in the City. Besides Sunday meetings, weddings and the like, it has also hosted secular meetings, particularly for peace, education, temperance and other social causes. It also served briefly for Adelaide's Presbyterian congregation prior to construction of the Church of Scotland building on Grenfell Street, also for the North Adelaide congregation of the Church of England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pascoe St Leger Grenfell</span> British businessman

Pascoe St Leger Grenfell was a British businessman and patron, and a key backer of the South Australian Company. He was a committee member of the South Australian Church Society, and is known for donation of an acre of land on North Terrace, Adelaide which was used for the construction of the Holy Trinity Church — one of the first churches built in the city and the colony. He also donated 40 acres of land for the use of the church as glebe lands. This land later became the suburb of Trinity Gardens. Grenfell Street, Adelaide was named after him.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Garrison Church, Sydney</span> Church in New South Wales, Australia

The Garrison Church is a heritage-listed active Anglican church building located at Argyle Street in the inner city Sydney suburb of Millers Point in the City of Sydney local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by Henry Ginn, Edmund Blacket and built from 1840 to 1846 by Edward Flood and George Patton. It is also known as Holy Trinity Anglican Church and Hall. The property is owned by Anglican Church Property Trust and was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Morphett</span> Australian politician

George Morphett was a settler in the colony of South Australia, and younger brother of John Morphett.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Finlay Duff</span>

John Finlay Duff was a ship's captain and businessman in the Colony of South Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert George Thomas</span>

Robert George Thomas was a draftsman and architect in the British colony of South Australia. He copied Surveyor-General Colonel William Light's original plan for the City of Adelaide and was later responsible for the design and execution of some of its significant buildings, including several churches in a Gothic style.

The South Australian Church Society was a British based organisation concerned with the establishment of churches in the new colony of South Australia. The committee included William Wolryche-Whitmore, Raikes Currie, Pascoe St Leger Grenfell, John Morphett, John Shaw Lefevre, John Rundle and others — and had very strong connections and overlap with the Directors and Commissioners of the South Australia Company. Their key success was the formation and construction of the Trinity Church on the corner of North Terrace and Morphett Street. The Honorary Secretary was Charles Mann and Raikes Currie as Treasurer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Kelso</span> Heritage listed Church in New South Wales, Australia

Holy Trinity Anglican Church is a heritage-listed Anglican church precinct, containing the church, rectory and adjacent cemetery, at 71-85 Gilmour Street, Kelso, Bathurst Region, New South Wales, Australia. The church was built from 1833 to 1878, with John Foster being responsible for the building of the original church. Edmund Blacket designed the rectory. The property is owned by Anglican Property Trust Diocese of Bathurst and Parish of Kelso, Anglican Diocese of Bathurst. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 14 January 2011.

References

  1. https://www.trinitycity.church/
  2. Holy Trinity Adelaide – Home
  3. 1 2 3 4 Dickey, B: Holy Trinity Adelaide 1836-1988: the history of a city church, Trinity Church Trust Inc., 1988
  4. "Death of Mr. H. J. Moseley". The Advertiser (Adelaide) . Vol. XXXVII, no. 11145. South Australia. 7 July 1894. p. 6. Retrieved 23 March 2018 via National Library of Australia.
  5. 1 2 "Adelaide". Travel. The Age. 8 February 2004. Retrieved 5 January 2007.
  6. Evangelical Students, University of Adelaide
  7. "Trinity Network". Trinity Network. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
  8. Wotton, D.C. (11 September 1986). "SOUTH AUSTRALIAN HERITAGE ACT, 1978-1979, Entry of Items on Register of State Heritage Items" (PDF). The South Australian Government Gazette. Government of South Australia. p. 798. Retrieved 23 August 2019. Church—Holy Trinity - 80 North Terrace, Adelaide 5000. CT. volume 3452, folio 150, part town acre 9, city of Adelaide.
  9. 1 2 "Holy Trinity Anglican Church, 87 North Tce, Adelaide, SA, Australia - listing on the now-defunct Register of the National Estate (Place ID 6324)". Australian Heritage Database . Australian Government. 21 March 1978. Retrieved 23 August 2019.

Coordinates: 34°55′20″S138°35′38″E / 34.92215°S 138.59395°E / -34.92215; 138.59395