No. 1580 - Westbury - St Andrew's Anglican Parsonage (1867)
This article is one of a series about buildings associated with Tasmania’s historical churches.These buildings include Sunday schools, parish halls, convents, schools and residences of the clergy. Ancillary buildings are often overlooked and rarely feature in published histories. My aim is to create a simple record of these buildings, including of those that no longer exist.
Westbury is a historic town situated approximately 30 kilometres west of Launceston. It was surveyed in 1828 and developed as an administrative centre for the district. For most of its existence Westbury has been served by only three religious denominations.
St Andrews Anglican church which was built 1836 and was consecrated in 1851. Construction of the first parsonage began at a site on Shadforth Street site in 1842. Convict labour was used in the construction of a brick building which was completed in 1843. Bishop Nixon selected the site for the new rectory. The Reverend John Bishton, M.A. and his family were the first to occupy the dwelling.
By 1867 the parsonage had become dilapidated and unsafe. A new building was erected on the same site at a cost of £321. The foundation stone for the new building was laid by Archdeacon Reibey on Thursday 3 January 1867. Part of the original building was incorporated within the new rectory as a gabled wing at the rear. The house was extensively renovated during the incumbency of the Reverend Richard Weld Thomas (1907-1913) and part of the rear wall was rebuilt in 1920. The parsonage was last used as a church residence by the Reverend Gascoigne during the 1950s. It is now a private residence.
Westbury is a historic town situated approximately 30 kilometres west of Launceston. It was surveyed in 1828 and developed as an administrative centre for the district. For most of its existence Westbury has been served by only three religious denominations.
St Andrews Anglican church which was built 1836 and was consecrated in 1851. Construction of the first parsonage began at a site on Shadforth Street site in 1842. Convict labour was used in the construction of a brick building which was completed in 1843. Bishop Nixon selected the site for the new rectory. The Reverend John Bishton, M.A. and his family were the first to occupy the dwelling.
By 1867 the parsonage had become dilapidated and unsafe. A new building was erected on the same site at a cost of £321. The foundation stone for the new building was laid by Archdeacon Reibey on Thursday 3 January 1867. Part of the original building was incorporated within the new rectory as a gabled wing at the rear. The house was extensively renovated during the incumbency of the Reverend Richard Weld Thomas (1907-1913) and part of the rear wall was rebuilt in 1920. The parsonage was last used as a church residence by the Reverend Gascoigne during the 1950s. It is now a private residence.
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St Andrew's Parsonage - c.1870 - From an album belonging to Miss Georgiana Dobson" Libraries Tasmania. Original photograph HERE |
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The Cornwall Chronicle, January 1867 |
Sources:
Tasmanian Heritage Register Datasheet: THR ID Number: 4866
http://eheritage.statelibrary.tas.gov.au/ St. Andrews Church of England Rectory
The Cornwall Chronicle, Wednesday 2 January 1867, page 2
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