Christ Church Cathedral sits at the corner of Duke Street and Victoria Street, Grafton. Its geographical and liturgical orientations almost coincide, with the East Windows facing just south of geographical east. The Cathedral sits within a large block called Cathedral Close. We note the strange outline of this Cathedral – no cruciform shape here! Architect John Horbury Hunt was a great believer in asymmetry. We note the baptistry extending from the North West corner, the chapel at the Northeast, and the vestries extending from the South wall where we might expect the South transept. This should be an interesting cathedral to explore! PLAN
2. SOUTH WALL
The view of the Cathedral on the Title Page shows the West wall. In the foreground is a delightful fountain with a couple of swans. From this position, we walk down along the South side of the Cathedral towards where the vestries extend out. We notice too the old bell tower – was it ever used? • At right, we view the vestries and bell tower from the East. The Cathedral is built of a pale red brick, quarried locally. Notice the large stained glass window. We shall find that stained glass windows are a prominent feature of Christ Church Cathedral.
3. EAST VIEW
The East wall of the Cathedral ... . A large array of stained glass with the East window, the vestries peeping out at left, a chapel at right – in fact, the Chapel of the Epiphany. There appears to be some sort of memorial beneath the East window. What is this?
4. EAST MEMORIAL
On the memorial, there are plaques remembering the first four bishops of Grafton. These were: Cecil Druitt (1914 – 1921); John William ashton (1921 – 1938); William Henry Webster Stevenson (1938 – 1945); and Christopher Storrs (18946 – 1955). At centre there is a bishop’s mitre, with the words below: ‘O ye spirits and souls of the righteous bless ye the Lord: praise him and magnify him for ever’.
5. BELL TOWER
The original wooden church was built nearby in 1854. It was demolished in 1900. The bell tower was moved in 1884 from its original site near the first church to its present position near the Cathedral. I do not know whether the brick bell tower of the Cathedral was ever used.
6. NORTH WALL
From the bell tower, we walk back along the North wall of the Cathedral. The baptistry protrudes from the North West corner. The Cathedral measures 50.5 metres long by 13.5 metres wide, and 18 metres to the top of the cross at the West end. The Cathedral Notes say that this cathedral has been acclaimed as one of the most magnificent cathedrals in Australia. I suspect that this claim is extravagant, but ... let’s see! • Looking back along the North wall we see that there is in fact a mini North transept. We shall discover that this contains the organ. There is also an entryway with wheel chair access.
7. NORTHWEST CORNER
Our circuit of the Cathedral brings us to the Northwest corner, with the baptistry at left and the West doors ahead. The signboard contains some historical dates. In fact, I don’t think I have visited an Australian Cathedral which is more conscious of its history.
8. WEST WALL
So to the West wall with its grand Gothic arch enclosing the entryway. We notice that there are four historical stones in view: we shall consider their contents after our visit. Above the door is a Canterbury Cross. This is common to all Anglican Cathedrals: it was a gift sent out from Canterbury Cathedral to Anglican Cathedral Churches in 1954. It is unusual though to see it affixed outside a cathedral. Above the cross is a set of seven windows which appear to be clear, but are not! This wall contains another secret which we will discover later ... . But let us now enter the Cathedral.
9. NAVE
Our first view of the nave is a little surprising. The exterior asymmetry is not immediately evident. There is a feeling of open space, of warmth from the colour of the Gothic brick arches, and an appreciation of the light streaming in from the North clerestory windows. This is a Cathedral of Light!
10. NAVE ROOF
On entering a Cathedral, I always like to look up at the roof structure. You’d have to say that the roof structure of Christ Church Cathedral is ... quite rustic!
11. NAVE TILES
Cathedral floors have their own fascination too, and the tiling down the centre aisle of the Cathedral is very attractive.
12. BAPTISTRY
We turn left (North) and approach the baptistry. We observe the painting on the column at right, and the brilliance of the stained glass windows. This Cathedral has an incredible 25 (sets of) stained glass windows. • This baptismal font, made from alabaster marble, was imported from Italy in 1914.
13. BAPTISTRY WEST WINDOWS
On the West wall of the baptistry are these four very stylish windows. They portray four key events from the life of Christ. From left: • the Nativity (star, cow, donkey, sheep), • the Crucifixion (two thieves and the three women), • the Resurrection (guards asleep), and • the Ascension (two ministering angels). The names are Richard and Eileen Challacombe (in code!), and Reginald and Heather Parker. NOTE: The panels of many of the windows in these photographs are placed close together to maximize the glass areas.
14. BAPTISTRY NORTH WINDOWS
The North wall of the baptistry features this five lancet window. The five topics are: • Lord now lettest thy Servant depart in peace (Lk 2:22); • They returned to their own city Nazareth (Lk 2:39); • My soul doth magnify the Lord (Lk 1:46); • Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Matt 3:2); • Jesus was baptized of John in the Jordan (Matt 3:13). The windows are in memory of Winnifred May Hillson (x2), Mary Ann Smith, Hermann Schaeffer, and The Carson Family.
15. BAPTISTRY EAST WINDOWS
These windows show little children being brought to Christ for his blessing. These illustrate Matt 19:14 – ‘Come to me little children.’ The inscription reads: Sacred to the memory of our Mother Maria Ellen Schaeffer Gentle and devoted church woman Given by her loving family, Bert, Dorothea, Edward, Carl & Henry.
16. BAPTISTRY BOARDS
Also on the East wall of the baptistry are these boards listing former Bishops and Cathedral Clergy. The Bishops of Grafton and Armidale were: William Collinson Sawyer 1867–1868; James Francis Turner 1869–1892; Arthur Vincent Green 1894–1900; Henry Edward Cooper 1900 –1914. The Bishops of Grafton were: Cecil Henry Druitt 1914 – 1921; John William Ashton :1921 – 1938; William Henry Webster Stevenson 1938 –1945; Christopher Evelyn Storrs 1946 – 1955; Kenneth John Clements 1956 – 1961; Robert Gordon Arthur 1961 – 1973; Donald Norman Shearman 1973 – 1985; Bruce Allan Schultz 1985 – 1998; Philip James Huggins 1998 – 2003; Keith Francis Slater 2003 – .
17. NORTH AISLE
Leaving the baptistry we look out over the North aisle. We observe the paintings on the Gothic columns, the various triplets of stained glass windows, and the icon on the wall at left.
18. STATIONS OF CROSS
On the nearest column we see two of the 14 painted Stations of the Cross, showing various scenes of Christ at the time of his Crucifixion. The Stations are used as an aid to devotion, particularly at Easter time.
19. NAVE WINDOWS
This first triplet of windows on the North aisle have a Shepherd theme. From left they illustrate: • The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want (Ps 23); • The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep (Jn 10:11); • Feed my sheep, feed my lambs (Jn 21:17). The windows are in memory of • Henry Newton Small, • Wilfred Charles Frederick Small & Amy Edith Schaeffer, • Elizabeth Wa... Hughes & William Malcolm Lucas ...s.
20. ICON
Beneath this first set of windows on the North wall is this attractive icon. There appears to be no information about this icon. It depicts Christ in glory. The open Book (Bible) shows the verse: I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (Jn 14:6). The letters IC and XC at the top are Greek and Slavonic abbreviations for the name of Christ.