CHURCH OF ST THOMAS
PORT LINCOLN ANGLICAN
PAUL SCOTT
South Australia’s country towns do not seem to qualify for good quality satellite views! However, this rather grainy satellite view of the Church shows its location on the corner of Washington Street and Adelaide Place – just across from the Visitor Information Centre.
I am delighted to find that the Church is open to the public each day.
We notice that the Church sanctuary points about 30° south of east. On this site we find it convenient to use liturgical directions, placing the sanctuary in an Easterly (capital E) direction, renaming the other directions accordingly.
I have been unable to find a floor plan of this Church, but we shall have no problems in navigating our way around.
A brief history of the 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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HISTORY
Dates: 1849, 1876
Address: Cnr Adelaide Place and Washington Street
Port Lincoln’s Anglican Church has been highlighted among 140 sites for possible inclusion for the South Australian Heritage Register.
Late last year [2019] Heritage South Australia asked through its Oldest Buildings Project to help find some of the state's oldest buildings that may qualify for listing on the register.
The project sought to identify unlisted places, structures or ruins that were built between 1836 and 1855 that warranted investigation.
Among the sites identified from the project was St Thomas Anglican Church on the corner of Adelaide Place and Washington Street, the oldest church on Eyre Peninsula.
The original church, what is now the nave section was completed in 1849 with the pews in the church being custom made for the church in 1850.
The transepts and the sanctuary were added to the church in 1876.
https://www.portlincolntimes.com.au/story/6672364/church-identified-for-heritage-list/
St. Thomas Church is the oldest church on Eyre Peninsula. The foundation stone was laid by Governor Fox-Young in October 1849. The original church is now the nave section of the present building (the main seating area). In 1876 the sanctuary (high area) and transepts (side wings) were added.
Services were held prior to the establishment of the church as recorded in the journal of Edward John Eyre on October 4th 1840 who stated that ‘being camped near Port Lincoln, I attended Divine Service there. The congregation was small but respectful and devout’.
The small congregation wrote to the Bishop, Dr Augustus Short in 1847 who in turn approached the Governor concerning the erection of a church. Land was granted in December 1849 under an ordinance ‘to promote the building of churches and chapels for Christian worship’, and to be known as the Church of Saint Thomas.
The completion date of construction was late 1851 with the first Evensong service held by Archdeacon Matthew Hale on January 21st,1852. Hale served in the district until 1856. After his departure Dr. Octavius Hammond became the first incumbent minister of the Church of St Thomas the Apostle in 1858.
Some quick facts:
The total cost of the church was £293, plus a charge of £7-10 for the architect.
Timber for the roof was sourced from Van Diemen’s Land.
Stone for the walls was quarried from the Duck Pond district near Port Lincoln.
The beautiful stained-glass windows depicting Jesus, St Thomas and St John were installed above the altar in the 1893-94 period, from a bequest to the church by Mr Samuel Sison of Boston House.
The bell was hung in the bell tower in 1893 and renovated in 2012.
The church has many memorials which honour the work of its early parishioners.
The church has a National Trust classification listing.
Compiled from Eric O’Connor collection with thanks to Rev. Brian Bascombe and Mrs. Rosie Clark for their contribution.
http://www.portlincolnanglican.com/history.html
