A tribute to Newcastle’s long-standing history

A brief reflection on the history of Christ Church Cathedral.

As a site of worship for more than 190 years, Christ Church Cathedral in its many iterations has been built alongside Newcastle’s history.

What was once a small convict-built church was artfully crafted into the Cathedral that we have today.

In 1812, a temporary Church building was erected on the site of our current Cathedral, which was then replaced in 1818 by a small building called Christ Church.

The remains of Christ Church are still on display in the Cathedral today in the foundation stone, embedded into the aisle of the Cathedral during the earthquake repairs in 1997.

The stone used to build Christ Church was from Nobby’s Beach and was laden with salt, leading to the building’s instability.

In 1847, the Diocese of Newcastle was formed and Christ Church, Newcastle, was assigned to Bishop William Tyrrell as his Cathedral Church.

Following the coal boom, Newcastle needed a larger place to hold the community and thus began the construction of the Cathedral we know today.

Designed by John Horbury Hunt, building Christ Church Cathedral spanned nearly 100 years with additions being made to reflect Newcastle’s journey.

An example of this was the addition of the Warrior’s Chapel in 1928.

The Warrior’s Chapel was added to the northeastern side of the Cathedral as a memorial to the men and women of the Hunter who lost their lives in World War I.

Christ Church Cathedral holds many tributes to Newcastle’s history, such as the first recorded Australian flag and the last remaining Union Jack from the Gallipoli campaign.

Many of these additions to the Cathedral were donated by members of the community and are dedicated to them. Upon looking at the Rose window, you will see a dedication to Hudson Berkeley, a local Newcastle businessman who donated the fabric of the Warrior’s Chapel.

Additional works saw the raising of the nave to its intended height in 1928, and the addition of the Cathedral tower in 1979, completing the Cathedral in line with Hunt’s original design.

On Thursday 28 December 1989, Newcastle was struck by a serious earthquake in which the Cathedral was badly damaged.

After 96 years of design and construction, the Cathedral underwent restoration in 1995 to reinforce the walls and piers with steel to prolong the life of this heritage listed building for generations to come.

Featuring local artists, community stories, and tributes to generations of Novocastrians, Christ Church Cathedral is a tapestry of Newcastle over nearly 200 years.