The Holy Trinity Church Group at Kelso consists of the church (), cemetery and rectory (). The group as a whole is picturesquely sited and forms an excellent ecclesiastical group. The external walls have stepped brick
buttresses which were added in the 1890s at the time of major alterations opening up the roof structure internally. The western wall and the bell tower were rendered. The roof is gabled with a steep pitch and is now sheeted with asbestos cement shingles installed in the 1930s manufactured by James Hardie at the turn of the 20th century to imitate the more expensive Welsh slates. It replaced an early galvanised iron roofing tile similar to that manufactured by Moorewood & Rogers in London and first exported to Australia in the 1840s. Originally the roof was timber shingled. Gutters are galvanised iron quad profiles. Barge boards are also timber and at the eastern end is highly carved with decorative patterns. The tower is square and originally had a small
spire in the centre. This was removed and the tower was extended in the mid nineteenth century with
parapet introduced and a
pinnacle at each corner with a
wrought iron finial in a simple
Victorian Ecclesiastical Gothic style. Buttresses were added together with other decoration including projecting
cornices,
dentil courses, mouldings and attached rendered motifs. The attached vestries are designed in a similar manner and reinforce the Gothic character at the front entrance. Internally, the church has been altered in a number of stages from its relatively simple configuration. The ceiling was opened up from its original flat linings to a dramatic hammer beam design in the nineteenth century. Floors are generally timber boarded but have been replaced in the
aisle and chancel with gifts of
mosaic tiles at the turn of the nineteenth century. The patterns are highly intricate and are reasonably intact. A gallery was added at the western end in the 1840s but later removed. Other interior features include stained glass windows, a carved reredos, an organ, choir stalls, a stone pulpit, a brass lectern and oak pews. Many of these fittings have been donated by descendants of early families. There are also memorial plaques on the walls in memory of important local individuals and families. The church retains its early registers of births, christenings, marriages and burials from 1826 which is a significant local record. Also the church was given Samuel Marsden's bible and Bishop
Charles Camidge's seat at the time when Holy Trinity was regarded as a "pro Cathedral" in the early twentieth century. Other historic documents are also in the possession of the church and an inventory of items of moveable heritage should be made and their safe keeping ensured. The church has been reported to be of good general condition, medium intactness and exceptional overall significance.
Rectory and Outbuildings The Rectory is located towards the northern boundary of the church lands. It was completed in 1877 and replaced an earlier parsonage. The Rectory was designed by the leading Colonial ecclesiastical architect Edmund Blacket who was uncle to the Reverend Arthur Blacket, rector at Kelso at the time. The building is a two-storey, face brick design with gabled roofs over a T-shaped plan. It has elements of Gothic design in its composition and is a good example of Blacket's more modest domestic buildings and is highly intact. The building was originally approached with a separate
driveway and small carriage loop on the southern side but this was altered in the 1960s. The front wing projects forward and is encircled with a
veranda running on three sides of the ground floor. Early concepts for the buildings included upper level balconies but the final design was kept relatively simple. Windows are two-light vertical
sashes with brick arches over. Timber shutters were provided by Blacket to most windows although not shown on the original drawings. The roof is sheeted with galvanised iron and has three high brick
chimneys. The three
gables were finished with highly decorative timber
fretwork that gave the relatively plain building some period detail and interest. Unfortunately the fretwork was removed some years ago from all elevations. The replacement of this feature would recover some significance for this building. Internally the layout was quite simple with a front door under the southern veranda leading to a central hallway with three public rooms (drawing room, dining room and study) with kitchen and scullery at the rear. A polished timber staircase from the hallway leads upstairs to three bedrooms and a bathroom. Walls and ceilings are plastered and painted throughout and joinery is generally polished cedar. The building has been regularly maintained and continuously occupied. It has been reported to be in good general condition, high intactness, and high overall significance.
Garage (former Stables) The only other related structure as part of the group is a small brick outbuilding on the western side. It is a two-roomed,
skillion roofed garage. It is likely to have originally constructed as a stables and is noted on the 1877 Blacket site plan as the "New Stables". Its early construction date and association with the former parsonage give this modest outbuilding some significance. It may have been altered and is in poor condition. It has been reported as being in fair to poor general condition, medium intactness, and medium overall significance.
Pioneer Cemetery The Pioneer Cemetery comprises the oldest part of the cemetery which is located closest to the church building. Originally established in 1826, the cemetery has been extended considerably to the north in distinct sections. The cemetery is not a public cemetery and is managed by a cemetery trust with fees charged and a cemetery fund established. Its constant care and maintenance has been a considerable task relying heavily on the gift of volunteer labour from men and women of the congregation. There are a number of relevant studies that have been carried out by members of the church that provide valuable reference: • History of Kelso Cemetery and Grounds compiled by Carol Churches, 2004 • Pioneer Cemetery written by Carol Churches, 2000 • Report on the Trees and Shrubs in Holy Trinity Anglican Church Grounds written by Spencer Harvey, 1997
Gas storage shed and toilet This is a small brick outbuilding on the eastern side of the church. It is a two-roomed, skillion roofed building with the original gas storage room on the northern side and a public toilet on the southern side. Its construction date is uncertain at this stage but likely to be late 19th century. It has been reported to be in fair general condition, of unknown intactness and of low overall significance.
Gardens and open space The open spaces are significant components that contribute to the character of the property and its environs. The spaces can be divided broadly into the following areas some of which overlap with each other and the other spaces that relate to and define the buildings:
Entrance and driveway The point of arrival in Gilmore Street comprises an entrance gateway and steel cattle grid are set back slightly from the road alignment and were constructed in 1960s. The location of the entrance and driveway has remain unchanged probably from the site's earliest development. The existing gateway was rebuilt in the 1960s and comprises relatively plain rendered brick gateposts either side of the entrance together with reused sections of Victorian fencing and 1960s fencing. A small pedestrian gate on the left hand side is likely to date from the Victorian period and is decorative wrought iron with circular motifs in a traditional design. The driveway up to the church remained unsealed until the early 1960s when other site works were carried out including extensive land clearing and kerb and guttering. The original drive divided with one track to the rectory and its carriage loop while the other led to the Church and its small carpark located close to where the
columbarium sits today. Drawings do not appear to exist for these tracks but fortunately they are recorded on a 1960s aerial photograph of the church and its grounds.
Church foreground The church foreground is regarded as the area on the western side of the Church between Gilmore Street. It is important because it is the relatively dramatic image of the church as seen by most people from Gilmore Street. The area has apparently not been developed at all during the life of the church. The framed view between the trees seen of the grassy slopes ascending softly to the heights with the church sitting dramatically against the skyline contains many symbols and should be conserved.
Modifications and dates In addition to the below, there have been continual interior modifications throughout the church's history in relation to liturgical changes. • 1834Foundation stone laid by Arch-Deacon Broughton • 1835First service held on Easter Sunday • 1836Church and cemetery consecrated • 1838-9Alterations and completion of interiors of church including closing of the entrance doors on either side of the tower and the creation of a new, larger door at the base of the tower • The first church organ installed • 1859Minor alterations to church interiors • 1875After having been struck twice by lightning, the church tower is replaced. The original iron roof is replaced by galvanised tin • 1878Original parsonage demolished and the new rectory designed by Edmund Blacket. Blacket may also have proposed removing the ceiling of the church to expose the timber roof, a "visionary" architectural improvement • 1881An "autophneumatic gas machine" installed to offer a new
lighting system within the church • 1885A new section of cemetery set aside to the east of the original cemetery called the Monumental Cemetery • The second organ manufactured by A. Hunter, London installed by this date • 1888-9Local architect James Hine and builder Mr Atkins constructs the frame for a three-light window in the east (to be filled in 1902 by the stained glass window by Edward Coley Burne-Jones and six buttresses added to the exterior. A
marble and stone pulpit is installed, imported from Willis & Jones London. Generally the Victorian era witnesses the addition of much ornamentation to the interiors • 1913-14Front
facade of church is washed with cement and front steps concreted • 1925Memorial Gates are installed at Gilmour Street entrance to commemorate 100 years of worship • 1928Parish of Kelso subdivides the Glebe and sells some of the land. Money was invested to provide income for the conservation of the church building. Electricity is connected to the church • 1933Vestry added • 1937-9Architects Beddie & Brown replaced galvanised tin roof with asbestos cement tiles. Alterations include reshaping and replacement of church doors,
fanlight and floorings • 1957Vestry added • 1966War Memorial Drive constructed, trees planted and watering system laid amid controversies over these changes to the landscape • 1967Lawn Cemetery designed and consecrated • 1996The Memorial Wall is constructed on northern side of the church allowing for a bronze plaque to be set into the wall in memory of family members buried there in unmarked graves • 1997Information Centre and columbarium completed and consecrated • 2000Construction of a substantial parish and community centre or Church Hall behind the rectory, to the north of the church. == Heritage listing ==