St Aidan's Uniting Church and Hall

Author

Town of Claremont

Place Number

00489

Location

26 Princess Rd Claremont

Location Details

Cnr Chester Rd

Other Name(s)

Claremont Presbyterian Church
St Aidan's Presbyterian Church

Local Government

Claremont

Region

Metropolitan

Construction Date

Constructed from 1903 to 2011

Demolition Year

N/A

Statutory Heritage Listings

Type Status Date Documents
Heritage List Adopted 07 Jul 2015
State Register Registered 17 Mar 2006 HCWebsite.Listing+ListingDocument, HCWebsite.Listing+ListingDocument

Heritage Council Decisions and Deliberations

Type Status Date Documents
(no listings)

Other Heritage Listings and Surveys

Type Status Date Grading/Management
Category
Uniting Church Inventory Completed 01 Oct 1996
Classified by the National Trust Classified 02 Nov 1981
Register of the National Estate Permanent 11 Aug 1987
Statewide War Memorial Survey Completed 01 May 1996
Municipal Inventory Adopted 31 Dec 1995
Municipal Inventory Adopted 05 Aug 2014 HA - Category 1

Statement of Significance

Saint Aiden’s Church & Church Hall is a rare surviving example of a well-designed Federation Gothic style church and hall constructed for the Presbyterian worshipping tradition. The Church hall is a fine example of the work of Architect James Hine. Since 1911, the place has included the first pipe organ built in Western Australia, completed by R. C. Clifton in 1879, which continues in use, and the place has a notable Memorial Window (1920) designed by G. Pitt Morison, previous Curator of the Western Australian Art Gallery, a long term parishioner. Saint Aiden’s Church & Church Hall is associated with well-known parishioners J. M. Ferguson, initial benefactor of the place, Perth Town Clerk W. E. Bold, long serving honorary organist, and prominent people in the life of the Uniting Church including fourteen former Moderators.

Physical Description

Also known as St Aidan's Heritage Area

History

In 1902 a Presbyterian congregation was formed at Claremont. John Maxwell Ferguson, a well-known businessman, prominent member of the congregation and benefactor of the church, donated land for the church site. 1896-1902 was a period of rapid growth for Claremont, as shown in the names listed in the Post Office Directories, which rose from 76 in 1896 to 469 in 1902. This was also the time when Claremont became a municipality and the Municipal Building was constructed. The Consolidation Period was a period of rapid growth in the town. Population and housing grew steadily with 701 households or businesses in 1905, 872 in 1910 and 1,240 in 1915. It was during this period that the congregation looked at expanding the church and the addition of a Church Hall. In 1930 the church was renamed Saint Aiden’s Presbyterian Church and in 1978 when the Congregational, Presbyterian and Methodist Churches united it became Saint Aiden’s Uniting Church.

References

Ref ID No Ref Name Ref Source Ref Date
Town of Claremont Rate Books
Register of Heritage Places Assessment Documentation
Town of Claremont Thematic History A Heritage Reference Framework

Other Keywords

Category A – Exceptional Significance – A discrete area defined by a statement of significance that distinguishes the places from others.
This place has been entered in the Heritage Council of Western Australia’s Register of Heritage Places. All development applications must be referred to the Development Committee of the Heritage Council for approval.

This place is considered by the Town of Claremont to be of exceptional significance to the Town and its conservation is required.

The place should be conserved in accordance with the principles of the Burra Charter (The Australia ICOMOS for the conservation of places of cultural significance).

It is recommended that a conservation plan or policy be prepared and adopted by Council and that any proposals for development be in accordance with its recommendations. If a conservation plan has not been prepared, Council may request the preparation of a conservation plan or policy prior to considering any proposed development of the place. The conservation plan or policy must be prepared in accordance with a brief approved by the Council and must be reviewed, approved and adopted by Council prior to approval to develop.

The Council may also require its own heritage impact statement which will consider the heritage significance of a place, and the impact of the proposed development on significance, prior to consideration of a development application.

State Heritage Office library entries

Library Id Title Medium Year Of Publication
5022 St Aidan's Uniting Church, Claremont : stormwater & refurbishment works report. March 2001. Report 2001
6023 St Aidan's Uniting Church, Claremont : conservation plan. Volume 1 - Research & Policy, Volume 2 - Appendices. Heritage Study {Cons'n Plan} 2000

Place Type

Individual Building or Group

Uses

Epoch General Specific
Original Use RELIGIOUS Church, Cathedral or Chapel
Original Use RELIGIOUS Church Hall
Present Use RELIGIOUS Church, Cathedral or Chapel
Present Use RELIGIOUS Church Hall

Architectural Styles

Style
Federation Gothic

Construction Materials

Type General Specific
Wall BRICK Common Brick
Roof METAL Corrugated Iron
Other GLASS Glass
Wall STONE Limestone

Historic Themes

General Specific
SOCIAL & CIVIC ACTIVITIES Religion
OUTSIDE INFLUENCES World Wars & other wars
DEMOGRAPHIC SETTLEMENT & MOBILITY Depression & boom

Creation Date

30 May 1989

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Approved

Last Update

01 Jan 2017

Disclaimer

This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.