Sydney: St James’ Church

Before wrapping up our day with errands, we stopped in for a quick look-see at St James’ Church.

Constructed between 1819-1824, it is Sydney’s oldest church. It was designed by the same convict architect — Francis Greenway — who designed the Hyde Park Barracks.

This Anglican church wasn’t supposed to be a church at all. Rather, it was supposed to be a courthouse for Governor Macquarie. But a commissioner who was sent down from London overruled the governor and deemed the building to be constructed as a church.

Regardless of what it ended up being, it is one of the surviving group of Macquarie Period buildings in the country. Though changes have been made since it’s completion in 1824, the building’s exterior has remained in the style of a Georgian town church.

While the undercroft was used for many different purposes over the years — to bed down Allied servicemen during WWII being one of them — the feature that draws visitors down into that part of the church is the Children’s Chapel that was opened in 1929 for younger children. The walls and ceilings of the chapel are decorated with colorful murals.

We went down to see the murals, but had to be satisfied with studying them through the glass door as the room was locked.Read more