BATS IN THE BELFRY (NEWCASTLE)

Tuesday, March 23, Betty, Melanie and I drove into Newcastle to visit Christ Church Cathedral. Lieutenant Shortland first discovered the district of Newcastle (originally named Coal River) in 1797. As its original name suggests, a large amount of coal was found in the area, which made it a very valuable piece of land. The area was more fully explored by Colonel Paterson in 1801.

Before any chaplain was appointed to minister to the area, a small church built of slabs was erected in 1812. This building, however, was pulled down in 1816 and a more stable church was designed. In August 1818, Governor Macquarie named the little convict built church Christ Church.

The Baptistry

The Baptistry immediately meets the eye of the visitor. It is elevated above the floor and the marble floor was installed in 1902 as a gift from the Women's Guild. The canopy is English Oak carved in the medieval tradition.

The Nave

The Nave Altar is used during normal services and allows the congregation to be more closely involved with the liturgy. The beautiful cedar pulpit was given to Christ Church in 1884 and designed by Frederick Menkens, the well known German-born Newcastle architect.

The Cathedra or Bishop's Throne

The Cathedra, from which the building takes its name, is again made of English Oak and is heavily carved.




The Organ










Christ Church Cathedral's organ is one of the finest of its kind in Australia. The first records of music at Christ Church Cathedral date from 1835, when a barrel and finger organ was in use at the Cathedral.
The Windows







Of the 72 stained glass windows in the cathedral, most are by Kempe & Co of London.

161 Steps There are 161 steps from the ground floor up to the roof. You first go up a few steps, then unlock the first door. There you climb up a narrow hallway of stone steps until you reach a platform that houses the huge bells that chime every hour. There is a circular stairway that then takes you up to the roof. After unlocking the door, you then enter the roof where you have a wonderful view of Newcastle. This was a very scary climb, my knees were knocking by the time I arrived at the top and I was hanging on for dear life. I had to keep telling myself - "you can do this". And of course, once you reach the top, you have to climb back down which actually was easier than going up.

Views from the Roof