St. Peter's Cathedral

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Description1/8 Scale Drawing, rough sketch front St. Peter's Cathedral by Edward John Woods
SLSA BRG 18/63
Governor Sir Frederick Holt Robe rashly promised Adelaide's first Anglican Bishop, Augustus Short, land for a cathedral in the very centre of Colonel Light's carefully planned city. This was Victoria Square. Bishop Short pressed hard for the promise to become reality following Holt's return to England, but a court case instigated by the Bishop in 1855 found the land was not Holt's to give away. The square remains an open park to this day. In the meantime the Roman Catholic community began building their long-planned cathedral adjacent to the square, on a large piece of land they had purchased in 1858.

Bishop Short then changed his plans completely, buying land at North Adelaide and commissioning plans from the famous English architect William Butterfield. Butterfield's conception was a cathedral built in polychrome brick. However it was not until 1869 that a foundation stone was laid and the first section of the cathedral was not ready for use until 1876. By this time Butterfield's plans had been substantially altered.

Rising young Adelaide architect, Edward Woods, designed a building using local sandstone and limestone. The truncated cathedral with its attractive lantern tower stood in this unfinished form for some decades. Finally Sir Thomas Elder and his brother-in-law Robert Barr Smith, both Presbyterians, gave the required sum of money for the cathedral to be completed with its distinctive towers, as it stands today.

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Woods Bagot Pty. LtdDateMay 1890Reference numberSLSA BRG 18/63External link (more information)https://www.catalog.slsa.sa.gov.au/record=b2182370~S1AttributionEdward John Woods (ca.1837-1916) migrated to South Australia 1860, began working for architect Edmund Wright. Helped design Town Hall and GPO before starting own practice 1869. First major commission was St. Peter's Cathedral, later appointed colony's Architect-in-chief 1884. Walter Bagot (1880-1963) became articled to Woods in 1899, studied in London and entered into partnership 1905. Instrumental in foundation of SA School of Architecture. Herbert Jory, James Irwin and Louis Laybourne-Smith became partners in ensuing years. Very influential firm, traditional and ecclesiastical emphasis; commissions included Bonython Hall, Elder House, Barr Smith Library, Carrick Hill, various churches, Bank of NSW, CML and Telecom buildings, ANZ and Commonwealth banks and the War Memorial. Still based in Adelaide, employs 160 staff, projects underway in Hong Kong and Indonesia. For background on architects E.J. Woods, W. Bagot, H. Jory, J. Irwin, and L. Laybourne Smith see the Architects of South Australia database (www.architectsdatabase.unisa.edu.au).Use RestrictionsCopying and publication
This item is reproduced courtesy of Woods Bagot Pty Ltd. It may be printed or saved for research or study. Use for any other purpose requires written permission from Woods Bagot Pty Ltd. To request approval, complete the Quote for Copy/Permission form.Geolocation^[1]Geo Polygonnot specifiedCopyrightCopying and publication
This item is reproduced courtesy of Woods Bagot Pty Ltd. It may be printed or saved for research or study. Use for any other purpose requires written permission from Woods Bagot Pty Ltd. To request approval, complete the Quote for Copy/Permission form.

Connections

CollectionWoods Bagot Pty. Ltd.PersonEdward WoodsWoods Bagot Pty. Ltd.Place27 King William Road, North Adelaide SA 5006Eventnot specifiedOrganisationState Library of South Australia

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St. Peter's Cathedral