St James’ Church, Sydney, Colonial Anglican church in Sydney, Australia
Description
This place of worship on King Street 173 displays Georgian design with classical porticos, tall windows, and a high tower that once guided vessels entering Port Jackson. Inside, visitors find a children's chapel decorated with murals by the Turramurra Painters and many 19th-century marble memorials set into the walls.
History
Convict architect Francis Greenway drew plans in 1819 for a courthouse, but Commissioner John Bigge altered them to create an Anglican place of worship instead. After consecration in 1824, the building served as the principal Anglican church of the settlement for half a century.
Culture
The dedication honors Saint James the Greater, one of the twelve apostles whose shrine in Santiago de Compostela draws pilgrims from around the world. Regular services for judges, lawyers, and doctors continue a long tradition that ties the congregation to the legal and medical professions.
Practical
The building stands in the business district near the law courts and Sydney Hospital, easy to reach on foot. Visitors can enter on most days but should check service times and behave respectfully inside.
Did you know?
This building is the oldest continuously used church in Sydney and has never closed its doors. The tower once stood tall enough to serve mariners in the harbor as a navigation aid and helped vessels find safe passage.
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