Christ Church and Milton Hall, Launceston
Christ Church and Milton Hall are adjacent 19th-century buildings with significance in the early religious and secular history of Launceston, Tasmania. Both buildings are located on Frederick Street, near Prince's Square.
Milton Hall
[edit]Milton Hall was put up in either 1841 or 1842 as St John's Congregational Church, under John West.[1][2][3] The chapel was built in the Greek Revival style with a portico of four Doric columns topped with a pediment.[4]
After the establishment of Christ Church, Milton Hall served as a Sunday school and, from 1884 till 1913, as Launceston High School.[2]
Milton Hall hosted historic debates on the cessation of convict transportation and the framing of Federation.[1] The first version of the Australian flag was said to have been conceived and sewn there.[1]
Christ Church
[edit]Christ Church was renovated into a large red brick church between 1883 and 1885, to a Gothic Revival design by Granger & D'Ebro which included an octagonal spire, turrets and buttresses.[4] The church was furnished with a c. 1875 organ by Bevington & Sons.[4] A stained glass window representing the Calling of Matthew was made by Brooks & Robinson, Melbourne, for Christ Church, and was displayed in the Albert Hall as part of the Tasmanian Exhibition of 1891–92.[5]
From 1983 till 2021, Christ Church functioned as a Baptist church, officially gazetted as City Baptist Church.[1]
Today
[edit]In 2021, Christ Church and Milton Hall—both owned by the Baptist Union of Tasmania—were put up for sale,[1][6] and in 2022 Tasmanian entrepreneur Rob Sherrard acquired both buildings.[7]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]Sources
[edit]- Clark, C. M. H. (1978). A History of Australia. Vol. 3. Melbourne University Press. p. 422.
- Cooper-Douglas, Erin (19 July 2021). "Launceston's Christ Church and Milton Hall, dating back to 19th century, for sale". ABC News.
- Daunt, Adam (21 July 2021). "Launceston's Christ Church, Milton Hall to be sold off as Baptists seek new pastures". The Examiner.
- Peach, Joshua (14 June 2022). "Virgin Australia co-founder Rob Sherrard to buy Milton Hall and Christ Church". The Examiner.
- Peach, Joshua (20 June 2022). "Rob Sherrard to take ownership of Milton Hall". The Examiner.
- Official Record of the Tasmanian International Exhibition, Held at Launceston, 1891-92. Tasmania: Printed for the Commissioners at the "Launceston Examiner" Office. 1893. pp. 42, 72.
- The Heritage of Tasmania: The Illustrated Register of the National Estate. The Macmillan Company of Australia. 1983. p. 124.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - "Milton Hall in Frederick Street was built in 1841 …". Launceston Library. Facebook. 14 May 2021.
- "Annual Meeting for Granting Licenses". Launceston Courier. 6 September 1841. p. 3.
- "The Late Mr W. S. Button". The Examiner. 19 September 1876. p. 2.
- "The Late Rev. John West". The Examiner. 13 December 1873. p. 2.
Links
[edit]- Media related to Christ Church and Milton Hall, Launceston at Wikimedia Commons