St Ignatius' Church, Richmond

Church in Australia

William Wardell (1867 – 1894)
Gerald W. Vanheems (1927 – 1928)

Architectural typeChurchStyleGothic RevivalYears built1867 – 1928Construction cost£42,000SpecificationsCapacity2,000Length63 metres (206 ft)Nave width20 metres (64 ft)Height20 metres (65 ft)Spire height65 metres (213 ft)MaterialsBluestoneAdministrationArchdioceseMelbourneParishRichmond Catholic Parish of St Ignatius and St James

St Ignatius' Church, Richmond is a Roman Catholic church located in the Melbourne suburb of Richmond, Victoria, Australia. It is one of the largest churches in Melbourne outside of the central business district. It is located in a prominent position, the highest point in Richmond, on Church Street.

History

St Ignatius' Church was designed by English born architect William Wardell who had already made a name for himself in England and was also responsible for many of Melbourne's most important early buildings including St Patrick's Cathedral. Like St Patrick's it is in the Gothic Revival style and constructed from local bluestone. The foundation stone was laid on 4 August 1867.^[1] The members of the predominantly Irish working class parish managed to save £700 towards construction, a large sum at the time. Stage one of the church was completed in 1927. This was made up of the nave and part of the tower and allowed services to commence.

Construction of the remaining sections of the church took many years due to financial constraints. The transept was completed in 1888 and the remainder, less the spire, in 1892. It was nearly 40 years later that the spire was completed. Designed by architect G. W. Vanheems, it was much taller than that originally proposed by Wardell. When completed in 1928 it was the tallest structure in Australia at 65 metres (213 ft) high.^[1] Vanheems later designed the even taller spire of St Patrick's which was added, also belatedly, in 1939.

A primary school of the same name operated for several decades behind the Church before its closure and amalgamation with St. James' Primary School in 2005.

Parish

The Catholic Parish of Ignatius is administered by the Australian Jesuits on behalf of the Archdiocese of Melbourne.

Gallery

Church entrance
Entrance to the church
Inner view of the church

References

^ ^a ^b "St Ignatius' Catholic Church, Richmond". Organ Historical Trust of Australia. Retrieved 31 August 2023.

External links

St Ignatius Parish site

Catholic Church in Australia

A list of the Catholic dioceses, chapels, churches, and cathedrals in Australia.

Province of Sydney

Metropolitan Archdiocese of Sydney	Cathedral Church and Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Mother of God, Help of Christians St Philip Howard, Kingston St Anne's, North Bondi St Anne's, South Strathfield St Brigid's, Millers Point St Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, Paddington Cardinal Cerretti Chapel Garden Island Naval Chapel Mary Immaculate, Waverley Mary Mackillop Memorial Chapel and Museum Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Randwick St Patrick's, The Rocks St Peter Julian's, Sydney
Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle	Cathedral of the Sacred Heart
Diocese of Armidale	Cathedral of Saint Mary and Saint Joseph
Diocese of Bathurst	Cathedral of Saint Michael and Saint John St Mary's, Mudgee
Diocese of Lismore	Cathedral of Saint Carthage
Diocese of Wagga Wagga	Cathedral of Saint Michael Our Lady of Pompeii, Yoogali
Diocese of Wilcannia-Forbes	Cathedral of the Sacred Heart St Ignatius, Bourke
Diocese of Wollongong	Cathedral of Saint Francis Xavier St John Vianney Co-Cathedral St Francis Xavier's, Berrima St John's, Campbelltown St Michael's, Nowra
Diocese of Parramatta	Cathedral of Saint Patrick St Thomas Aquinas, Springwood
Diocese of Broken Bay	Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary

Province of Melbourne

Metropolitan Archdiocese of Melbourne	Cathedral Church and Minor Basilica of Saint Patrick Our Lady of Victories Basilica, Camberwell Sacred Heart, St Kilda St Ambrose, Brunswick St Ignatius', Richmond St Mary of the Angels, Geelong St Mary's, Williamstown St Mary Star of the Sea, West Melbourne St Francis', Melbourne
Diocese of Sale	Cathedral of Saint Mary
Diocese of Sandhurst	Cathedral of the Sacred Heart
Diocese of Ballarat	Cathedral of Saint Patrick

Province of Brisbane

Metropolitan Archdiocese of Brisbane	Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Stephen St Stephen's Chapel Corpus Christi, Nundah Our Lady of Victories, Bowen Hills Marist Brothers College, Rosalie Mary Immaculate Church, Annerley Mount Carmel Convent, Wynnum Mount St Mary's Convent, Toowong St Brigid's, Red Hill Church Convent St Brigid's Church, Rosewood St Francis Xavier, Goodna St Ignatius Loyola, Toowong St Mary's, Ipswich St Mary's, Maryborough St Mary's, South Brisbane St Patrick's, Fortitude Valley St Patrick's, Gympie St Patrick's, Mount Perry
Diocese of Toowoomba	Cathedral of Saint Patrick Our Lady of the Assumption, Warwick First Church Second Church Convent Presbytery St Patrick's, Rosevale
Diocese of Cairns	St Monica's War Memorial Cathedral Old Cathedral St Monica's Priory/Bishop's House Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Thursday Island St James', Malanda St Joseph's, Cairns St Mary's by the Sea Church, Port Douglas St Patrick's, Yungaburra
Diocese of Rockhampton	Cathedral of Saint Joseph Old St Patrick's, Brandon Our Lady Star of the Sea, Gladstone
Diocese of Townsville	Cathedral of the Sacred Heart St Brigid's, Stuart St Joseph's, North Ward St Mary's, Townsville St Patrick's, North Ward St Patrick's, Ravenswood

Province of Perth

Metropolitan Archdiocese of Perth	Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary Pro-Cathedral of Saint John Aquinas College Chapel New Norcia, Western Australia Redemptorist Monastery, North Perth St Brigid's, Perth St Denis, Joondanna St Mary Star of the Sea, Peppermint Grove St Patrick's Basilica, Fremantle St John the Baptist, Toodyay St John the Baptist, Toodyay (1863–1963) St Joseph's, Subiaco
Diocese of Broome	Cathedral of Our Lady Queen of Peace
Diocese of Bunbury	Cathedral of Saint Patrick
Diocese of Geraldton	Cathedral of Saint Francis Xavier

Province of Adelaide

Metropolitan Archdiocese of Adelaide	Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Francis Xavier St Augustine's, Salisbury St Ignatius' Church, Norwood St Patrick's, Adelaide
Diocese of Port Pirie	Cathedral of Saint Mark
Diocese of Darwin	Cathedral of Saint Mary, Star of the Sea Christ the King, Tennant Creek

Immediately subject to the Holy See

Archdiocese of Hobart	Cathedral of Saint Mary Church of the Apostles, Launceston
Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn	Cathedral of Saint Christopher St Peter and Paul's, Goulburn Christ the King, Taralga
Military Ordinariate of Australia	Cathedral of Saint Christopher as Principal Church
Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of the Southern Cross	Principal Parish of St Bede the Venerable

Immediately subject to a patriarch or major archbishop

Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Ss Peter and Paul	Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul
Maronite Catholic Eparchy of St Maroun	Cathedral of Saint Maroun
Melkite Catholic Eparchy of St Michael	Cathedral of Saint Michael and All the Angels
Chaldean Catholic Eparchy of St Thomas	St Thomas the Apostle Chaldean Catholic Church (Seat of the Eparch's Cathedra)
Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy of St Thomas	St Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Church (Seat of the Eparch's Cathedra)