In January 2020 The Old St Andrews Church complex because ours! Claire has always quietly wanted a church and Pete heard the heart whisper & found her one. After many complex twists and a few sad turns … the dream became reality and Claire now has a church! We are still pinching ourselves.
The vision is to reopen this beautiful space to the community again. Although the church was deconsecrated many years ago, the beautiful spirit of the place continues. Births, marriages and deaths should all be honoured in this space. The old church hall is longing to embrace people and life again. One day, we hope there will be a cafe with a space where maybe local artists can exhibit and local mums can meet.
This is, for us, a family affair. The four kids are regularly helping us to lovingly restore and put in the enormous amount of elbow grease which is necessary to bring this place back to it’s former glory and also drag it somewhat into our current modern lives.
We are ably assisted by Sarbi the dog. Cocoa & Shumbi our cats largely watch on from afar.
We would love to come along side you as you plan and move through different seasons of your life. This place is special and it’s not something we feel you ever own. You merely take care of it for the next generations.
Some History
The land for the church was donated by Phillip Pearce who was the son of Matthew Pearce, a pioneer settler of the area and after which Matthew Pearce School is named. Matthew Pearce, a free settler arrived on board the ‘Surprise’ in 1794 and was granted 160 acres in 1795, known now as Seven Hills, Baulkham Hills and Kings Langley. Four of the six windows in the church were dedicated to members of the Pearce family, descendants of Matthew Pearce.
Set on approximately 6100sqm, the complex is in Seven Hills Road North, just south of its junction with Old Windsor Road, at Seven Hills. The land on which the church, hall and rectory is located is closely associated with early pioneer families of the area. The site is visually prominent with the chruch on the highest hill providing an important local landmark.
The site is grassed, with a scatter of mature trees with a beautiful gravelled carriage loop in front of the Old Rectory. The carriage loop is grassed with a box hedge lining its edge and standard roses. A three rail split timber rural fence fronts the road also.
The three buildings comprise an intact precinct of early church buildings. The complex is one of the most interesting and architecturally significant pre-1900 groups of buildings between Parramatta and Windsor.
Church (1878-79)
The church building is a good example of late Victorian Neo-Gothic church architecture with single nave in brickwork and galvanised iron roof. While having some crudity of detail as in the Vestry windows and the somewhat modest entry porch, it transcends this in the generous proportions of its large windows and most satisfying way the component parts of the building are massed into the final structure. The proportions of the east window in the Chancel and the curve of the Chancel arch are very pleasing. The framework of the fine timber roof – an A-frame supported on semi-circular wooden arches sprung from stone corbels in the walls is important and could be considered the equal of some of the fine church rooves by Edmund Blacket & Son, or John Horbury Hunt. It is easily the most notable roof of its type in the outer western region of the metropolitan area. The church features Cedar beam arches and panelled ceiling, stained glass and leadlight full length windows, vestry and cellar.
Rectory (1891):
The rectory behind the church is a fine late Victorian two-storied mansion with imposing double-storey verandah with iron lace balustrades and columns, which is rare within Blacktown. Circa 1955 the Rectory was restored, after having been vacant for many years.
The rectory has five oversized bedrooms, six marble fireplaces feature through this late Victorian two-storied mansion with polished floor boards, ornate ceilings and classic wrap around 90 ft. cast iron verandas, topped by a ‘widows walk’ above. Glass Conservatory family room with country style kitchen featuring island bench with stone bench tops, gas cooking, dishwasher and ample storage.
The construction is Gothic Revival Style, although simple and unpretentious, the interior features are impressive with high beamed ceilings. The Church (St. Andrew’s) was built and designed by Mr G H Stoker from 1863-1892. The church was officially opened by the Archbishop of Sydney on 22/10/1879 and so became the Anglican Parish Centre west of St. John’s in Parramatta. The Church Hall (built in 1884), and Rectory (1891) was on land donated by Phillip Augustus Pearce, who had inherited Kings Langley Farm on his father’s death in 1865 and successive donations created the current block with final contribution 1938.
A substantial land holding just south of the junction of Seven Hills Road with Old Windsor Road, at Seven Hills provides easy access to the city via the M2, T-Way bus services, links you to Parramatta, CBD and Rouse Hill with Norwest Rail.