The Garrison Church
A unique heritage-listed complex comprising a church and former school hall
9am–3pm
About the building
Building information
The Garrison Church, also known as the Holy Trinity Anglican Church, is a unique heritage-listed complex comprising a church and former school hall. The church is one of the earliest extant ecclesiastical buildings in the state, and the hall is considered a rare and unique surviving example of a parochial school built in the 1840s.
The Gothic Revival church and hall were completed in stages between 1840 and 1878. Architect Henry Ginn designed the first stage of the church building, which was constructed from locally quarried sandstone and completed in 1846. Colonial Architect Edmund Blacket designed the second stage in the 1850s, and the small adjoining hall was finished in the 1860s. The stained-glass window installed in the eastern facade of the church – by Charles Clutterbuck of London – is one of the earliest instances of stained glass in NSW, and there are locally produced windows by Lyon, Cottier & Co, from 1878.
Set against the rock escarpment and facing the public reserve of Argyle Place, the setting of the mid-19th-century church is unique. The church and its contents demonstrate the commercial importance of the harbourside suburb in the 19th century, and the political and social status of the parish.
The Garrison Church has been an active church for more than 175 years. Its early leadership and prominent local members made valuable contributions to its development, and comparatively recent military associations are of social significance.
Church 1846/1878; Hall commenced in 1846 and completed in 1860s
ArchitectHenry Ginn
AlterationsEdmund Blacket, 1878
AwardsNational Trust Register, 1978; State Heritage Register, 1999
Acknowledgements
The Garrison Church is part of the Millers Point / Dawes Point Conservation Area.
The Garrison Church acknowledges the wardens, parish council and the Anglican Church Property Trust.
Find out more about this building here
The Garrison Church
60 Lower Fort Street, Millers Point
Entry details
The church and the hall
9am–3pm
Members hour: MHNSW Members receive exclusive access from 9am–10am
2.30pm
Need to Know
The church building and hall are accessible. The closest accessible toilet is at the Hero of Waterloo Hotel, 100 metres down the road
The church community will provide light refreshments in the hall
