St John the Baptist Church, Toodyay (1863-1963)

St John the Baptist Church 1863-1963
Former St John the Baptist church building
General information
Architectural style	Victorian Free Gothic
Address	35 Stirling Terrace
Town or city	Toodyay
Country	Australia
Coordinates	31°33′19″S 116°28′28″E / 31.555412°S 116.474528°E / -31.555412; 116.474528Coordinates: 31°33′19″S 116°28′28″E / 31.555412°S 116.474528°E / -31.555412; 116.474528
Groundbreaking	1863
Construction started	1863–64
Inaugurated	1864
Renovated	1920
Client	Catholic Church
Owner	private
References
Toodyay municipal inventory

St John the Baptist Church is located on Stirling Terrace in Toodyay, Western Australia and was built in 1863–64.

History

Following the move from Old Toodyay to Newcastle, Father Francis Salvado called for tenders to build a new Catholic chapel to replace the Sancta Maria of Old Toodyay.^[1]

The foundation stone of the Catholic Church of St John the Baptist was laid in January 1863 by Father Martin Griver. He was assisted by Fr Francis Salvado, the Parish priest, and Fr Venanzio Garrido from the New Norcia mission.^[2] By Christmas 1864 the church was completed and had been blessed.^[3][4] The church's transept was used for a time as a school room for Catholic children until 1884 when the Sisters of Mercy came to Toodyay.

In 1920 the west wing was added.^[5] In 1963, a new church with the same name was completed, next to St Aloysius (in the Catholic Precinct grounds), and the older church was de-consecrated and sold into private ownership.^[3]

This is a rendered brick and corrugated iron building with tall pointed arch lancet windows. It has pointed pinnacles to the entrance porch and main facade. In the gable end a round window has been incorporated into rendered cross.^[6]

References