St David's Cathedral, Hobart

The Cathedral Church of St David in Hobart is the principal Anglican church in Tasmania, Australia. The dean (as of March 2009) is the Very Reverend Richard Humphrey.

View from Murray Street.
Interior of the cathedral.

Consecrated in 1874, St David's is the seat of the Bishop of Tasmania. It is a cathedral because it is the location of the bishop's cathedra or throne. It is the venue for great occasions of diocese, city and state.

Mission

The mission of St David's is "Proclaiming Jesus as Lord in the Heart of Hobart to build a community of living faith, profound hope and practical love."[1]

Description

The building sits on the corner of Macquarie and Murray Streets and forms one quadrant of what is considered to be the finest Georgian streetscape in Australia. On the pinnacles of each gable is a quatrefoil, repeated on the extremities of the large crucifix of the rood screen which dominates the sanctuary.

The cathedral choir offers sacred music both classical and contemporary in worship and in concert. The organ, considered one of the superior organs of Australia, is played by quality organists. The acoustics and 650 seating capacity demand frequent concerts. Appearances of the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, Hobart City Band, massed military bands, the Royal Copenhagen Chapel Choir and the Sydney Brass Quintet were features of 2008.

The cathedral tower has a peal of 10 bells, with the tenor of 21 long cwt (2,400 lb or 1,100 kg), set for full circle ringing. Most of the bells are from 1935 (with several newer bells installed in 2005) and all were founded by John Taylor & Co. They are rung by members of The Australian and New Zealand Association of Bellringers.[2][3]

St David's is known for its contemporary Anglican liturgy. Linked with England's Coventry Cathedral, the dean and associate clergy are "committed to creative liturgies that lift the heart and proclaim the Biblical faith as our society, increasingly dissatisfied with a purely materialistic world view, seeks a sense of the transcendent and apprehension of a living spirituality."

This desire for a "living spirituality" is reflected in the cathedral's commitment to serve the city, state and community. In services from those for the opening of law term, the opening of parliament, Heart Foundation, the Cancer Council Tasmania, Battle of Britain, Anzac Day, Hutchins and Collegiate schools and as a venue for state secondary and senior secondary schools the tranquillity and peace is often suspended with laughter, tears and memories.

The memorial service for the Port Arthur tragedy is remembered in the Hope Chapel. A memorial to the last ANZAC soldier, Alec Campbell, who died on 16 May 2002, aged 103, is also in the cathedral.

History
St David's Church, Hobart, Tasmania, 1826, Thomas Scott

In 1842 Hobart was declared a city and the existing St David's Church became St David's Cathedral. The Reverend Francis Russell Nixon was appointed first Bishop of Tasmania and Frederick Holdship Cox the first Dean of St David's.[4]

The current cathedral was built between 1868 and 1936[5] in the Gothic Revival style to a design by the English architect George Frederick Bodley.[6] There are flags dating from the time when Tasmania stopped being a convict settlement. The stained-glass windows depict saints, knights, kings and biblical characters. Small memorial plaques along the walls are dedicated to deceased members of the congregation.

The cathedral's distinctive features include an arcaded entrance with a large west window[6] and buttressed turrets; a square tower made of Oatlands stone; and a close on the southern side with old trees.[6] The building is on the Register of the National Estate.[6]

Deans

See also

References
  1. "St Davids Cathedral, Hobart". Archived from the original on 15 September 2017. Retrieved 28 December 2012.
  2. Higson, Andreq (2009). "Hobart: Cath Ch of S David". Dove's Guide for Church Bell Ringers. Retrieved 5 April 2014.
  3. "Hobart: St David's Cathedral". ANZAB Tower Directory. The Australian and New Zealand Association of Bellringers. Retrieved 5 April 2014.
  4. "History of St David's Cathedral". Archived from the original on 10 March 2014. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
  5. The Heritage of Australia, Macmillan Company, 1981, p.7/46
  6. Heritage of Australia
  7. "History of St Davids". Archived from the original on 10 March 2014. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
  8. "Biography-Charles Henry Bromby". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Archived from the original on 19 October 2012. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
  9. "Installation of the Dean of Hobart". Retrieved 24 December 2012.
  10. "Dean Kite Returning to England". Trove digitised newspapers. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
  11. "Hay, Robert Snowdon (1867–1943)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Archived from the original on 18 March 2012. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
  12. "Rivers, Richard Godfrey (1859–1925)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Archived from the original on 5 October 2012. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
  13. "Association renewed The Mercury 2 September 1942". Trove digitised newspapers. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
  14. "Panegyric for Michael Webber". Retrieved 24 December 2012.
  15. "New Dean of Hobart". Anglican Church in Tasmania. Archived from the original on 10 April 2013. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
  16. "Missionary Diocese of Tasmania". Archived from the original on 15 September 2012. Retrieved 24 December 2012.

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