1926
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LISMORE
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PARISH OF ST PATRICK SOUTH GRAFTON |
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FOUNDED 1926 |
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DIOCESE LISMORE |
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PARISH CHURCH OF ST PATRICK |
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| PARISH | CHURCH |
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 | PARISH |
| THE CITY OF GRAFTON GREW UP AS TWO TOWNS ON EITHER SIDE OF THE CLARENCE RIVER CONNECTED BY A FERRY. THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE RIVALRY BETWEEN THE TWO AND EVEN WHEN THE BRIDGE LINKED THE TWO SOUTH GRAFTON MAINTAINED ITS OWN SEPARATE IDENTITY. NONETHELESS, MOST OF THE POST-WAR DEVELOPMENT TOOK PLACE ON THE NORTH SIDE AND SOUTH GRAFTON DECLINED INTO A SLEEPY BACKWATER. TOWARDS THE END OF THE 1900's NEW HOUSING ESTATES BEGAN TO APPEAR ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE RIVER WHICH IS NOW A MAJOR RESIDENTIAL AREA BUT THE HISTORIC TOWN CENTRE HAS CHANGED LITTLE AS THE COMMERCIAL GROWTH HAS ALL BEEN ACROSS THE RIVER. SOUTH GRAFTON WAS THE SITE OF THE FIRST CATHOLIC CHURCH BUILT ON THE NORTH COAST IN 1857. IT THEREFORE HAS SOME CLAIM TO BEING THE MOTHER CHURCH OF THE LISMORE DIOCESE. HOWEVER THE FIRST PARISH WAS ESTABLISHED ACROSS THE RIVER IN GRAFTON IN 1862 AND SOUTH GRAFTON HAD TO WAIT UNTIL 1926 BEFORE IT WAS DECLARED A PARISH IN ITS OWN RIGHT. TODAY IT REMAINS NOTEABLE FOR BEING THE ONLY MAJOR DENOMINATIONAL ESTABLISHMENT ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE BIG RIVER. NEXT |
| CHURCH |  |
| THE IMPRESSIVE PARISH CHURCH OF ST PATRICK, THE THIRD INCARNATION OF THIS HISTORIC CHURCH, WAS BUILT IN THE INTERWAR PERIOD. GOTHIC IN DESIGN, IT IS BUILT OF BRICK WITH STONE FACINGS AND FINIALS AND A WONDERFUL WEST WINDOW. THE DECORATIVE STONEWORK IS TYPICAL OF THE GOTHIC STYLE. THE CHURCH CONSISTS OF A NAVE, AN APSIDAL CHANCEL TOGETHER WITH TWIN SACRISTIES, CONFESSIONAL AND A SHALLOW PORCH. THE ROOF IS HIGH PITCHED AND SURMOUNTED BY STONE CROSSES AS IS THE PORCH ITSELF. THE MATCHING ROUND WINDOWS IN THE NORTH-WEST AND SOUTH-WEST CORNERS OF THE CHURCH ARE AN UNUSUAL FEATURE AS IS THE BELLCOTE ABOVE THE SACRISTY. NEXT |
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| NEXT |
 | THE PORCH (ABOVE LEFT) IS A GEM OF GOTHIC DECORATION COMPLETE WITH NORMAN STYLE RECESSING AND A TYMPANUM ADORNED WITH CELTIC STYLE MOTIFS. THE APSIDAL EAST END (ABOVE RIGHT) IS ALSO PERFECT OF ITS KIND WITH A SET OF FIVE STAINED GLASS LANCETS IN PLACE OF A SINGLE EAST WINDOW PROVIDING LIGHTING TO THE SANCTUARY. THE CHURCH ITSELF IS LOCATED IN THE HISTORIC TOWN CENTRE OF SOUTH GRAFTON ON A WIDE TREE-LINED STREET WITH A SCREEN OF TREES SHIELDING IT FROM THE OPEN GROUND ON THE SOUTH SIDE. NEXT |
| THE INTERIOR HAS BEEN ONLY MINIMALLY ALTERED TO COMPLY WITH THE NEW LITURGY. A SMALL WOODEN ALTAR HAS BEEN INSTALLED TO CELEBRATE THE SACRIFICE OF THE MASS, AN AMBO AND CHAIR FOR THE CELEBRANT PLACED TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT OF THIS AND THE ALTAR RAILS HAVE BEEN REMOVED BUT OTHERWISE THE SANCTUARY REMAINS AS IT WAS INTENDED BY ITS DESIGNERS. THE STATUES OF THE SACRED HEART AND OUR LADY REMAIN IN THEIR TRADITIONAL PLACES ALTHOUGH THE SIDE ALTARS HAVE BEEN REMOVED. THE LOVELY PAINTED NICHES PROVIDE A FITTING SENSE OF CONTRAST TO THE SURROUNDING WALLS. THE FOCUS OF THE CHURCH IS CLEARLY ON THE SANCTUARY WHICH SPARKLES WITH JEWEL LIKE BRILLIANCE IN COMPARISON TO THE BODY OF THE CHURCH. NEXT |  |
 | THE SANCTUARY IS FULL OF TREASURES FROM THE STARRY PAINTED CEILING AND THE VAULTING SPRINGING FROM CORBELS BEWTEEN EACH WINDOW TO THE FIVE STAINED GLASS WINDOWS THEMSELVES, MOST ESPECIALLY THE CENTRAL PORTRAYAL OF THE CRUCIFIXION, THAT PROVIDE BRILLIANT COLOURING TO THE SACRED SPACE. BUT UNDOUBTEDLY THE GREATEST TREASURE IS THE ORIGINAL MARBLE ALTAR WHICH HAS BEEN RETAINED AND WHICH HOLDS THE TABERNACLE IN WHICH THE BLESSED SACRAMENT IS RESERVED. | |
| THE ORIGINAL MARBLE ALTAR IS A TRUE WORK OF ART. CARVED IN A DARK SMOKY MARBLE AND INCORPORATING THE TABERNACLE HOUSING AND A DOMED NICHE FOR THE CRUCIFIX IT IS A SUPERB EXAMPLE OF EARLY 20th CENTURY CHURCH ART. ITS PRESERVATION IS TO BE APPLAUDED BY ALL WHO LOVE THE CHURCH. TOP HISTORIC CHURCHES |  | |
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| HISTORIC CHURCHES | |
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