1892
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MAITLAND-NEWCASTLE
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PARISH OF ST HELEN GRESFORD |
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FOUNDED 1892 |
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DIOCESE MAITLAND-NEWCASTLE |
| PARISH CHURCH | STATION CHURCHES | HISTORIC CHURCHES |
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PARISH CHURCH OF ST HELEN |
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| PARISH | CHURCH |
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| PARISH |
| THE HISTORIC TOWNSHIPS OF GRESFORD AND EAST GRESFORD DATE BACK TO THE MID 1800's WHEN CHARLES BOYDELL AND GEORGE TOWNSHEND ESTABLISHED PROPERTIES ON THE BANKS OF THE PATERSON AND ALLYN RIVERS RESPECTIVELY. IN DUE COURSE THESE TWO PROPERTIES BECAME GRESFORD AND EAST GRESFORD TWIN VILLAGES SEPARATED BY A MERE 2KM. TODAY THE TWO FORM A SINGLE TOWNSHIP ACTING AS THE SERVICE CENTRE FOR THE SURROUNDING PASTORAL DISTRICT. THE PARISH OF GRESFORD WAS FORMED IN 1892 AS SETTLEMENT SPREAD THROUGH THE UPPER HUNTER AND TODAY INCLUDES THE OTHER HISTORIC VILLAGES OF PATERSON AND VACY TO THE SOUTH. FOR A TIME IT ALSO INCLUDED THE LOCALITY OF GLENDONBROOK UNTIL THAT STATION WAS TRANSFERRED TO SINGLETON. NEXT |
| CHURCH |
| ST HELEN'S CHURCH AND ITS ASSOCIATED CEMETERY WERE CONSTRUCTED IN 1867. THE GOTHIC REVIVAL CHURCH WAS DESIGNED BY THE COLONIAL ARCHITECT, EDMUND BLACKETT, IN A SIMPLIFIED EARLY ENGLISH STYLE. IT COMPRISES A NAVE WITH TWO TALL LANCET WEST WINDOWS, A SOUTH-WEST PORCH AND A TEMPORARY WOODEN CHANCEL AND SANCTUARY, INDICATIVE OF AN INTENTION TO EXTEND THE CHURCH AT SOME LATER DATE, AN INTENTION THAT WAS UNFORTUNATELY NEVER CONSUMMATED. TOP STATION CHURCHES |
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| STATION CHURCHES | |
| PATERSON | SUMMERHILL VIA VACY |
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| CHURCH OF ST COLUMBA, PATERSON | |
 | THE HAMLET OF PATERSON WAS ONCE A MAJOR RIVERPORT BEING AT THE HEAD OF NAVIGATION FOR THE PATERSON RIVER. ALTHOUGH THE THIRD TOWN SURVEYED IN THE HUNTER VALLEY IT WAS NOT UNTIL 1833 IT WAS PROCLAIMED. IT HAD A BRIEF PERIOD OF PROSPERITY BEFORE THE DECLINE OF RIVER TRAFFIC CAUSED IT TO DWINDLE TO A SMALL VILLAGE. TODAY IT IS A SERVICE CENTRE AND AN HISTORIC TOURIST ATTRACTION. THE STATION CHURCH OF ST COLUMBA IS BUILT IN CONTINENTAL GOTHIC WITH AN APSIDAL EAST END AND ATTRACTIVE LANCET WINDOWS TOPPED BY DECORATIVE TILES. COMPRISING A NAVE, WEST PORCH AND AN UNUSUALLY LARGE TRANSEPT-LIKE NORTH-EAST PORCH, THE CHURCH FOLLOWS A UNIQUE AND MOST ATTRACTIVE DESIGN FOR A COUNTRY CHURCH. NEXT |
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| TOP STATION CHURCHES NEXT | |
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| CHURCH OF THE SACRED HEART, SUMMERHILL | |
 | STATION |
| VACY WAS A PRIVATE TOWN FOUNDED BY THE CORY FAMILY WHO OWNED THE LAND AROUND THE VILLAGE. IT WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1828 AND BY THE 1870's WAS A BUSY LITTLE COMMUNITY. TODAY HOWEVER IT IS A QUIET VILLAGE ON THE ROAD BETWEEN MAILTAND AND GRESFORD NOTED FOR ITS HISTORIC BUILDINGS. SUMMERHILL IS LOCATED ABOUT 5KM FROM VACY ACROSS THE PATERSON RIVER IN THE SHADOW OF MOUNT GEORGE. A STRONG CATHOLIC FAMILY FARMED THIS AREA AND DONATED LAND FOR A CHURCH WHICH SERVED THE CATHOLICS OF THE AREA FOR NEARLY 100 YEARS. WITH THE DECLINE IN NUMBERS THE CHURCH WAS CLOSED FOR REGULAR SERVICES BUT IS STILL USED FOR OCCASIONAL MASSES. NEXT | |
| CHURCH |  |
| THE CHURCH, BUILT IN THE LATE 1800's, CONSISTS OF A CLASSIC GEORGIAN NAVE WITH A SACRISTY ATTACHED. IT HAS BEEN FULLY RENOVATED IN HONOUR OF ITS CENTENARY. THE WEST FRONT AND ENTRANCE IS MARKED BY A SHALLOW DECORATIVE PORCH AND TWO NARROW ROUND-HEADED LANCETS, A DESIGN FEATURE MIRRORED IN THE SIDE WINDOWS. CROSSES MARK THE GABLES AND AN ATTRACTIVE ROUNDEL HIGH ON THE WEST FRONT PROVIDES VENTILATION. BUILT OF LOCAL BRICKS AND SURROUNDED BY A PRETTY ROSE GARDEN THE CHURCH SITS AMID THE FIELDS AS A TRIBUTE TO THE FAITH OF THOSE EARLY SETTLERS. TOP STATION CHURCHES HISTORIC CHURCHES |
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| HISTORIC CHURCHES | |
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