1862
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LISMORE
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PARISH OF ST MARY GRAFTON |
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FOUNDED 1862 |
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DIOCESE LISMORE |
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PARISH CHURCH OF ST MARY |
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| PARISH | CHURCH |
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| PARISH AND DIOCESE |
| WITH A POPULATION OF 18 500, GRAFTON IS THE MAJOR SETTLEMENT ON THE CLARENCE RIVER AND THE COMMERCIAL CENTRE OF AN EXTENSIVE AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL DISTRICT. THE FERTILE RIVER FLATS HAVE ENCOURAGED DAIRYING, SUGARCANE PLANTATIONS AND MIXED FARMING. THE TOWNSHIP WAS LAID OUT IN 1849 AND NAMED AFTER THE DUKE OF GRAFTON WHO WAS THE GRANDFATHER OF GOVERNOR FITZROY. GRAFTON BENEFITED BOTH FROM ITS LOCATION ON THE MAIN COASTAL ROAD TO THE NORTH AND FROM GOLD DISCOVERIES ON THE UPPER CLARENCE RIVER AND SOON BECAME A MAJOR TOWN AND WAS DECLARED A MUNICIPALITY IN 1859. GRAFTON WAS DECLARED A CITY IN THE MID-1880S, HOWEVER THE ARRIVAL OF THE RAILWAY AT GLEN INNES IN 1883 AND THE COMPLETION OF THE CASINO TO NORTH GRAFTON LINE IN 1905, CONTRIBUTED TO A SLOW DECLINE IN GRAFTON'S IMPORTANCE AS A REGIONAL PORT. TODAY ITS IMPORTANT CIVIC BUILDINGS AND GRACIOUS VICTORIAN GRANDEUR ARE A REMINDER OF A PAST GLORY THAT HAS NOW PASSED IT BY. THE FIRST CHURCH ON THE NORTH COAST WAS BUILT AT SOUTH GRAFTON IN 1857 BUT FIVE YEARS LATER THE FIRST PARISH WAS ESTABLISHED ACROSS THE RIVER IN GRAFTON MAKING IT THE OLDEST IN THE DIOCESE. IN 1887 GRAFTON BECAME THE CATHEDRAL CITY OF A NEW DIOCESE COVERING THE WHOLE OF THE NORTH COAST FROM WAUCHOPE TO TWEED HEADS, BUT THE FIRST BISHOP, JEREMIAH DOYLE, PREFERRED LISMORE AS HIS RESIDENCE AND SO GRAFTON EVETUALLY LOST THE DIOCESAN DIGNITY TO THAT CITY. THE IMPRESSIVENESS OF THE CHURCH HOWEVER STILL HARKS BACK TO THE DAYS WHEN IT WAS CONCEIVED AS THE CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF THE NORTH COAST. ANOTHER REMINDER OF GRAFTON'S FORMER PROMINENCE IS THE PRESENCE OF THE CONVENT OF THE GRAFTON CONGREGATION OF THE SISTERS OF MERCY.TODAY THE PARISH COVERS GRAFTON CITY AND THE HISTORIC VILLAGE OF UPPER COPMANHURST. NEXT |
| CHURCH |  |
| THE IMPRESSIVE PARISH CHURCH OF ST MARY WAS BUILT IN THE LATE 1800's AT THE SAME TIME AS GRAFTON WAS DECLARED THE CATHEDRAL CITY. IN FORM IT IS A LARGE NEO-GOTHIC NAVE BUILT IN A MORE CONTINENTAL THAN ENGLISH STYLE WITH MOCK BUTTRESSES RISING ABOVE THE ROOF LINE AND TWIN TOWERLETS ON EITHER SIDE OF A SHALLOW PORCH LEADING INTO THE NARTHEX. ON THE NORTH SIDE IS A SMALL SACRISTY WHILE ON THE SOUTH, LEADING OFF THE SANCTUARY IS A LARGE TRANSEPT WHICH FORMED THE ORIGINAL NUN'S CHAPEL. MATCHING NORTH AND SOUTH PORCHES PROVIDE ACCESS FROM EACH SIDE. ONE OF THE GLORIES OF THE CHURCH IS THE STAINED GLASS, ESPECIALLY THE MATCHING EAST AND WEST TRIPLE LIGHT LANCETS. NEXT |
 | ORIGINALLY THE CHURCH HAD NO DISTINCT CHANCEL, THE SANCTUARY STRETCHING ACROSS THE WIDTH OF THE NAVE AND COMPRISING A HIGH ALTAR AND TWO SIDE ALTARS. DURING THE 80's THE CHURCH WAS RE-ORGANISED TO FIT THE NEW LITURGICAL IDEAS AND THE ORIGINAL SANCTUARY AREA WAS SCREENED OFF AND THE ORGAN MOVED FROM THE GALLERY TO A POSITION BEHIND THE ALTAR. TO THE LEFT IS A SHRINE TO OUR LADY WITH A LOVELY WOODEN STATUE AND TO THE RIGHT THE UNUSUAL AND ATTRACTIVE TABERNACLE. A NEW SANCTUARY EXTENDING INTO THE NAVE WAS BUILT WITH NEW WOODEN FURNITURE. AN UNUSUAL PLACEMENT HAS THE FONT, THEN THE ALTAR AND THEN THE AMBO AND CELEBRANT'S CHAIR EACH BEHIND THE OTHER. THE NUN'S CHAPEL WAS CONVERTED INTO A SEATING AREA WITH SOME ATTRACTIVE WOODEN SAINT'S IMAGES AROUND THE WALLS LEADING TO ITS NAME OF THE CHAPEL OF SAINTS. TOP STATION CHURCHES |  |
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| STATION CHURCHES |
| UPPER COPMANHURST |
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| CHURCH OF ST JOHN OF THE CROSS, UPPER COPMANHURST | |
 | STATION |
| THE HISTORIC VILLAGE OF COPMANHURST TO THE WEST OF GRAFTON WAS ONE OF THE EARLIEST SETTLEMENTS IN THE CLARENCE VALLEY AND AS A MEASURE OF ITS IMPORTANCE IT WAS PROCLAIMED AS A SHIRE IN THE 1800's. ALL BUT FORGOTTEN TODAY, IT NOW ATTRACTS PEOPLE FROM GRAFTON IN SEARCH OF A QUIET RURAL ATMOSPHERE IN WHICH TO LIVE. THE HISTORY OF COPMANHURST STATION GOES BACK TO THE EARLIEST DAYS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH ON THE NORTH COAST. IT HAS THE DISTINCTION OF POSSESSING THE OLDEST BRICK CHURCH STILL IN USE IN THE DIOCESE. TODAY IT CONTINUES TO SERVE AN ACTIVE GROUP OF THE FAITHFUL AS IT HAS DONE FOR OVER 120 YEARS. NEXT |
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| CHURCH |  |
| IN 1881 A SUBSCRIPTION WAS OPENED TO CONSTRUCT A CHURCH FOR THE VILLAGE. TWO ACRES OF LAND IN UPPER COPMANHURST A FEW KILOMTRES WEST OF THE VILLAGE WERE DONATED BY THE LOLLBACKS, RECENT IMMIGRANTS FROM GERMANY, AND THE CHURCH SITTING ATOP A SLIGHT RISE WAS OPENED IN OCTOBER 1882. THE ORIGINAL PLAN CALLED FOR A NAVE AND CHANCEL WITH A PORCH AND SACRISTY BUT THE FINAL DESIGN PROVED SOMEWHAT UNIQUE. THE PORCH IS A SIMPLE OPEN FRAMEWORK WHILE THE SACRISTY WAS INCORPORATED INTO THE CHANCEL GIVING THAT PART OF THE CHURCH AN ELONGATED APPEARANCE THAT IS SO STRIKING TO THE FIRST TIME VIEWER. NEXT |
 | THE CHURCH HAS A VERY HIGH PITCHED ROOF AND ATTRACTIVE "ECCLESIASTICAL" WINDOWS WITH SIMPLE WHITE TRIM. THE ROOF OD THE LITTLE PORCH ECHOS THE LARGER ROOF OF THE CHURCH AND IS MARKED BY AN OLD IRON CROSS ON THE GABLE. A SIMPLE SIGN PROCLAIMS THE CHURCHES NAME AND YEAR OF OPENING. FROM THE ROAD THE CHURCH LOOMS ABOVE THE VIEWER, A REMINDER THAT PROMINENCE, EITHER OF POSITION OF STRUCTURE, WAS AN ESSENTIAL COMPONENT OF CHURCH ARCHITECTURE OF THE TIME. NEXT |  |
 | <<<< THE SIMPLE LITTLE PORCH AND NAME PLATE OF THE CHURCH. THE INTERIOR OF THE CHURCH REFLECTS THE SIMPLICITY OF THE CHURCHES CONSTRUCTION. THE FRONT DOORS ENTER DIRECTLY INTO THE NAVE WITH ITS BASIC WOODEN BENCHES. A STATUE OF OUR LADY STANDS JUST INSIDE THE DOOR TO THE LEFT WHILE AROUND THE WALL ARE A SET OF PLAIN CROSSES REPRESENTING THE STATIONS OF THE CROSS, A REMINDER THAT IT IS THE CROSSES AND NOT ARTISTIC ILLUSTRATIONS THAT ARE THE ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENT OF THE VIA CRUCIS. THE SANCTUARY AREA IS JUST AS BASIC AS THE NAVE. THE DEEP CHANCEL IS ENTERED VIA A SURPRISINGLY NARROW CHANCEL ARCH. THIS WAS PROBABLY INTENDED TO LEAVE ROOM FOR THE TRADITIONAL SIDE ALTARS. TODAY A FEW SIMPLE TABLES, A LECTERN AND A CHAIR FOR THE PRIEST TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS SPACE. THE NARRO ARCH HAS ALSO NECESSITATED THE BRINGING FORWARD OF THE TABLE ALTAR TO THE VERY FRONT OF THE CHANCEL, LEAVING THE OLD SANCTUARY AREA BARE APART FROM THE TABERNACLE ON ITS STAND. A DOOR TO THE RIGHT LEADS INTO THE SACRISTY AT THE REAR. THE SPECIAL TREASURE OF THE CHURCH IS THE IMAGE OF THE SACRED HEART HAND-PAINTED ON GLASS AND FORMING THE INTERNAL EAST WINDOW OF THE CHANCEL, THE SACRISTY ITSELF HAS A TWO LIGHT LANCET. >>>> NEXT |  |
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| TOP STATION CHURCHES HISTORIC CHURCHES | |
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| HISTORIC CHURCHES | |
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| GRAFTON | |
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| CHURCH OF OUR LADY HELP OF CHRISTIANS, GRAFTON |
| WITH THE GROWING POPULATION OF GRAFTON IN THE IMMEDIATE POST-WAR PERIOD, BISHOP FARRELLY OPENED OUR LADY HELP OF CHRISTIANS CHURCH/SCHOOL IN 1968. WITHIN A FEW YEARS HOWEVER, IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THE NEED HAD BEEN OVERESTIMATED AND THE SCHOOL WAS RESTRICTED TO INFANTS AND THE CHURCH ABSORBED INTO THE GENERAL SCHOOL BUILDINGS. TOP HISTORIC CHURCHES OTEHR BUILDINGS |
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| OTHER BUILDINGS | |
| GRAFTON MERCY CONVENT |
GRAFTON CONVENT SCHOOL |
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| CONVENT OF OUR LADY OF MERCY, GRAFTON | |
 | A SMALL GROUP OF SISTERS OF MERCY FROM BERMONDSLEY IN ENGLAND ARRIVED IN GRAFTON IN 1884 AT THE REQUEST OF BISHOP TORREGIANI. FROM THIS SMALL BEGINNING THE SISTERS ESTABLISHED SEVERAL FOUNDATIONS. IN THE MID 1900's THESE FOUNDATIONS RE-AMALGMATED TO FORM THE GRAFTON CONGREGATION OF THE SISTERS OF MERCY. TODAY THEY ARE NO LONGER INVOLVED IN THE SCHOOLS THEY MAINTAIN THEIR APOSTOLATE THROUGH VARIOUS WORKS OF CHARITY. THE PRESENT CONVENT OF OUT LADY OF MERCY WAS BUILT IN 1913 NEXT DOOR TO THE COLLEGE. IT IS A MAGNIFICENT THREE STORY BRICK FEDERATION STYLE BUILDING SET IN ATTRACTIVE GARDENS OVERLOOKING THE RIVER. NEXT |
| CONVENT CHAPEL |  |
| INITIALLY THE SISTERS MADE USE OF A TRANSEPT BUILT OFF THE CHANCEL OF THE PARISH CHURCH AS THEIR CHAPEL. THIS WAS A COMMON PROCEDURE AT THE TIME ESPECIALLY WITH THE SISTERS OF MERCY AND A NUMBER OF SUCH "NUN'S CHAPELS" EXIST ATTACHED TO OUR OLDER COUNTRY CHURCHES. IN TIME HOWEVER, THE SISTERS FELT THE NEED FOR THEIR OWN CHAPEL AND A SQUARE UNPRETENTIOUS BUILDING WAS ERECTED BETWEEN THE COLLEGE AND THE CONVENT, OPENING ONTO THE RIVER AND GARDEN BEHIND. IN THE 1960's THE LARGE AND IMPRESSIVE TOWER INCORPORATING THE CHANCEL WAS ADDED TO THE EAST END OF THE CHAPEL BECOMING AN IMMEDIATE LANDMARK. INSIDE, IN ADDITION TO THE REGULAR SEATING, THE CHAIRS USED FOR THE MEETINGS OF THE SISTERS ARE STILL PLACED AROUND THE WALLS. TODAY THE CHAPEL CONTINUES IN USE, NOT ONLY BY THE SISTERS BUT BY THE PARISH AND THE SCHOOL, MAINTAINING A LIVING LINK WITH THE FAITH OF THE FOUNDING GROUP OF SISTERS. NEXT |
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| ST MARY'S COLLEGE, GRAFTON | |
 | INITIALLY THE SISTERS RAN THE PARISH SCHOOL, BUT IN 1885 THEY OPENED A YOUNG LADIES DAY AND BOARDING SCHOOL IN THE COTTAGE WHICH UNTIL THEN HAD BEEN THE PRESBYTERY. IN 1929 THE DAY AND BOARDING SCHOOL BECAME ST MARY'S COLLEGE AND AN IMPRESSIVE FEDERATION STYLE BUILDING WAS ERECTED NEXT DOOR TO THE CONVENT TO HOUSE THE NEW SCHOOL. THE BOARDING SCHOOL WAS CLOSED IN 1987 AS MODERN TRANSPORT MADE BOARDING LESS NECESSARY AND IN 1990 THE COLLEGE WAS AMALGAMATED WITH THE PARISH SCHOOLS. TOP STATION CHURCHES HISTORIC CHURCHES OTHER BUIILDINGS |
