View source for St David's Cathedral, Hobart

{{Short description|Anglican cathedral in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}}
{{Infobox church
| name                   = St David's Cathedral
| fullname               = Cathedral Church of St David
| image                  = Hobart-Tasmania-Australia05.JPG
| image_size             = 
| alt                    = 
| caption                = St David's Cathedral from Macquarie Street
| coordinates            = {{Coord|-42.8835|147.3285|type:landmark_region:AU-TAS|display=it|format=dms}}
| country                = [[Australia]]
| denomination           = [[Anglican]]
| membership             = 
| attendance             = 
| address                = Corner [[Macquarie Street, Hobart|Macquarie]] and Murray Streets, [[Hobart]], [[Tasmania]]
| website                = {{URL|saintdavids.org.au}}
| status                 = [[Cathedral]] (since 1848)
| founded date           = {{start date|1868|01||df=y}}
| founder                = [[Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha|Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh]]
| dedication             = [[Saint David]]
| dedicated date         = 
| consecrated date       = 1874
| architect              = [[George Frederick Bodley]]
| architectural type     = [[Church (building)|Church]]
| style                  = [[Gothic Revival architecture|Gothic Revival]]
| years built            = 1868{{spaced endash}}1936
| groundbreaking         = 
| completed date         = 
| construction cost      = 
| closed date            = 
| demolished date        = 
| capacity               = 
| length                 = <!-- {{convert| }} -->
| length nave            = 
| length choir           = 
| width                  = <!-- {{convert| }} -->
| width nave             = <!-- {{convert| }} -->
| width transepts        = 
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| materials              = 
| bells                  = 10
| bells hung             = 1935{{spaced endash}}2005 
| bell weight            = {{convert|21|long cwt|t|order=flip|lk=on}}
| parish                 = 
| archdiocese            = 
| diocese                = [[Anglican Diocese of Tasmania|Tasmania]]
| bishop                 = [[Richard Condie (bishop)|Richard Condie]]
| dean                   = [[Richard Humphrey (priest)|Richard Humphrey]]
| priestincharge         = 
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| seniorpastor           = 
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}}

The '''Cathedral Church of St David''' is the [[Anglican Church of Australia|Anglican]] [[cathedral]] [[Church (building)|church]] located in [[Hobart]], [[Tasmania]], Australia. The cathedral is the mother-church for the [[Anglican Diocese of Tasmania|Diocese of Tasmania]]. Consecrated in 1874, St David's is the [[cathedra|seat]] of the [[Anglican Bishop of Tasmania|Bishop of Tasmania]], currently the Right Reverend [[Richard Condie (bishop)|Richard Condie]]. The [[Dean (Christianity)|dean]] is the Very Reverend [[Richard Humphrey (priest)|Richard Humphrey]].

== History ==
[[File:St David's Church, Hobart, Tasmania, 1826, Thomas Scott.jpg|thumb|St David's Church, Hobart, Tasmania, 1826, Thomas Scott]]
In 1842 Hobart was declared a city and the existing St David's Church became St David's Cathedral. The Reverend Francis Russell Nixon was appointed first Bishop of Tasmania and Frederick Holdship Cox the first Dean of St David's.<ref>{{cite web|url = http://saintdavids.org.au/past-present/history/|title = History of St David's Cathedral|access-date = 2012-12-24|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140310223206/http://saintdavids.org.au/past-present/history/|archive-date = 10 March 2014|url-status = live}}</ref>

The foundation stone of a new cathedral was laid in January 1868 by [[Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha|Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh]], a son of [[Queen Victoria]], and it was built between then and 1936,<ref>The Heritage of Australia, Macmillan Company, 1981, p.7/46</ref> in the [[Gothic Revival]] style, to a design by the English architect [[George Frederick Bodley]].<ref name="Heritage of Australia">Heritage of Australia</ref> There are flags dating from the time when Tasmania stopped being a [[convict settlement]]. The [[stained-glass windows]] depict saints, knights, kings and biblical characters. Small memorial plaques along the walls are dedicated to deceased residents of Tasmania.

The cathedral's distinctive features include an [[Arcade (architecture)|arcaded]] entrance with a large west window<ref name="Heritage of Australia"/> and buttressed turrets; a square tower made of [[Oatlands, Tasmania|Oatlands]] stone; and a [[Cathedral close|close]] on the southern side with old trees.<ref name="Heritage of Australia"/> The building is listed on the now defunct [[Register of the National Estate]].<ref name="Heritage of Australia"/>

== Description ==

The building sits on the corner of [[Macquarie Street, Hobart|Macquarie]] and Murray Streets and forms one quadrant of what is considered to be{{By whom|date=August 2011}} the finest [[Georgian architecture|Georgian streetscape]] in Australia. On the pinnacles of each gable is a [[quatrefoil]], repeated on the extremities of the large crucifix of the rood screen which dominates the sanctuary.

The cathedral choir offers sacred music both classical and contemporary in worship and in concert. The organ, considered one of the superior organs of Australia,{{By whom|date=August 2011}} which was originally in the earlier cathedral, was a two-manual made by [[James Chapman Bishop|Bishop & Starr]] of London.<ref name="St David's Cathedral: The Organ">{{Cite web|url=https://www.saintdavids.org.au/music/organ/|title=St David's Cathedral: The Organ|access-date=16 March 2021}}</ref> Expanded in 1916 to a three-manual by [[George Fincham|George Fincham & Sons]] of Melbourne, it was rebuilt again in 1958 by [[J. W. Walker & Sons Ltd]] of London, and renovated between 1999 and 2005 by Gibbs & Thomson.<ref name="St David's Cathedral: The Organ"/> The acoustics and 650 seating capacity demand frequent concerts. Appearances of the [[Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra]], Hobart City Band, massed military bands, the Royal Copenhagen Chapel Choir and the [[Sydney Brass Quintet]] were features of 2008.

The cathedral tower has a [[peal of bells|peal]] of 10 bells, with the tenor of {{long ton | |21|lk=on}}, set for [[full circle ringing]]. Most of the bells are from 1935 (with several newer bells installed in 2005) and all were founded by [[John Taylor & Co]]. They are rung by members of [[The Australian and New Zealand Association of Bellringers]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Higson|first=Andreq|title=Hobart: Cath Ch of S David|url=http://dove.cccbr.org.uk/detail.php?&DoveID=HOBART|publisher=Dove's Guide for Church Bell Ringers|access-date=5 April 2014|year=2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Hobart: St David's Cathedral|url=http://www.anzab.org.au/Tas/Hobart-StDavid%27s.html|work=ANZAB Tower Directory|publisher=[[The Australian and New Zealand Association of Bellringers]]|access-date=5 April 2014}}</ref>

== Mission ==
[[File:Hobart-Tasmania-Australia07.JPG|thumb|right|Interior of the cathedral.]]
The mission of St David's is "Proclaiming Jesus as Lord in the Heart of Hobart to build a community of living faith, profound hope and practical love."<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.stdavidscathedralhobart.org|title= St Davids Cathedral, Hobart|access-date= 2012-12-28|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170915035510/http://stdavidscathedralhobart.org/|archive-date= 15 September 2017|url-status= live}}</ref>

== Liturgy ==

St David's is known for its contemporary Anglican liturgy. Linked with England's [[Coventry Cathedral]], the dean and associate clergy are "committed to creative liturgies that lift the heart and proclaim the Biblical faith as our society, increasingly dissatisfied with a purely materialistic world view, seeks a sense of the transcendent and apprehension of a living spirituality."{{Citation needed|date=August 2011}}

This desire for a "living spirituality" is reflected in the cathedral's commitment to serve the city, state and community. In services from those for the opening of law term, the opening of parliament, Heart Foundation, the Cancer Council Tasmania, Battle of Britain, Anzac Day, [[The Hutchins School|Hutchins]] and [[St Michael's Collegiate School|Collegiate]] schools and as a venue for state secondary and senior secondary schools the tranquillity and peace is often suspended with laughter, tears and memories.

The memorial service for the [[Port Arthur massacre (Australia)|Port Arthur tragedy]] is remembered in the Hope Chapel. A memorial to the last [[ANZAC]] soldier, [[Alec Campbell]], who died on 16 May 2002, aged 103, is also in the cathedral.

== Deans ==
The following individuals have served as Dean of St David's Cathedral Parish:
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Ordinal
! Officeholder name
! Term start
! Term end 
! Time in office
! Notes
|-
| align=center| {{nts|1}} || [[Frederick Cox (priest)|Frederick Holdship Cox]] ||align=center| 1872 ||align=center| 1874 ||align=right| {{age in years|1872|1874}} years || <ref>{{cite web |url=http://saintdavids.org.au/past-present/history/ |title=History of St Davids |work=St David's Cathedral Parish |access-date=2012-12-24| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140310223206/http://saintdavids.org.au/past-present/history/ |archive-date=10 March 2014 |url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| align=center| {{nts|2}} || [[Charles Bromby|Charles Henry Bromby]] ||align=center| 1874 ||align=center| 1876 ||align=right| {{age in years|1874|1876}} years || also [[Anglican Bishop of Tasmania|Bishop of Tasmania]]<ref name="Biography-Charles Henry Bromby"/>
|-
| align=center| {{nts|3}} || [[Henry Bromby|Henry Bodley Bromby]] ||align=center| 1876 ||align=center| 1884 ||align=right| {{age in years|1876|1884}} years || Son of the above<ref name="Biography-Charles Henry Bromby">{{cite web |url=http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/bromby-charles-henry-3062 |title=Charles Henry Bromby |work=[[Australian Dictionary of Biography]] |access-date=2012-12-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019171409/http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/bromby-charles-henry-3062 |archive-date=19 October 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| align=center| {{nts|4}} || [[Charles Dundas (priest)|Charles Leslie Dundas]] ||align=center| 1885 ||align=center| 1895 ||align=right| {{age in years|1885|1895}} years || <ref>{{cite web|url = http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article9111241|title = Installation of the Dean of Hobart|access-date = 2012-12-24}}</ref>
|-
| align=center| {{nts|5}} || [[Joseph Bertram Kite]] ||align=center| 1898 ||align=center| 1916 ||align=right| {{age in years|1898|1916}} years || <ref>{{cite web |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1052214 |title=Dean Kite Returning to England |publisher= |via=Trove, [[National Library of Australia]] |date= |access-date=2012-12-24}}</ref>
|-
| align=center| {{nts|6}} || [[Robert Hay (bishop of Tasmania)|Robert Snowdon Hay]] ||align=center| 1916 ||align=center| 1919 ||align=right| {{age in years|1916|1919}} years || <ref>{{cite web |url=http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/hay-robert-snowdon-6611| title = Hay, Robert Snowdon (1867–1943) |work=[[Australian Dictionary of Biography]] |access-date=2012-12-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120318194945/http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/hay-robert-snowdon-6611 |archive-date=18 March 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| align=center| {{nts|7}} || [[Arthur Richard Rivers]] ||align=center| 1920 ||align=center| 1941 ||align=right| '''{{age in years|1920|1941}} years''' || <ref>{{cite web |url=http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/rivers-richard-godfrey-8217 |title=Rivers, Richard Godfrey (1859–1925) |work=[[Australian Dictionary of Biography]] |access-date=2012-12-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121005023038/http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/rivers-richard-godfrey-8217 |archive-date= 5 October 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| align=center| {{nts|8}} ||  [[Percy Fewtrell|Harold Percy Fewtrell]] ||align=center| 1942 ||align=center| 1954 ||align=right| {{age in years|1942|1954}} years || <ref>{{cite web |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article25909651|title = Association renewed |work=The Mercury |date=2 September 1942 |via=Trove, [[National Library of Australia]] |access-date=2012-12-24}}</ref>
|-
| align=center| {{nts|9}} || [[Michael Webber (priest)|Michael Webber]] ||align=center| 1959 ||align=center| 1971 ||align=right| {{age in years|1959|1971}} years || <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tasmaniananglican.com/panegyric-michael-webber/ |title=Panegyric for Michael Webber |work= |publisher= |date= |access-date=2012-12-24}}</ref>
|-
| align=center| {{nts|10}} || [[Harlin Butterley]] ||align=center| 1972  ||align=center| 1980 ||align=right| {{age in years|1972|1980}} years || 
|-
| align=center| {{nts|11}} || [[Jeffrey Parsons]] ||align=center| 1980 ||align=center| 1983 ||align=right| {{age in years|1980|1983}} years || 
|-
| align=center| {{nts|12}} || [[Kenneth Reardon|Kenneth Nash Reardon]] ||align=center| 1984 ||align=center| 1993 ||align=right| {{age in years|1984|1993}} years || 
|-
| align=center| {{nts|13}} || [[Stuart Blackler]] ||align=center| 1993 ||align=center| 2005 ||align=right| {{age in years|1993|2005}} years || <ref name="New Dean of Hobart"/>
|-
| align=center| {{nts|14}} || [[Lindsay Stoddart]] ||align=center| 2005 ||align=center| 2008 ||align=right| {{age in years|2005|2008}} years || <ref name="New Dean of Hobart">{{cite web|url= http://www.anglicantas.org.au/mediastatements-191205/|title= New Dean of Hobart|publisher= Anglican Church in Tasmania|access-date= 2012-12-24|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130410001316/http://anglicantas.org.au/mediastatements-191205/|archive-date= 10 April 2013|url-status= dead}}</ref>
|-
| align=center| {{nts|15}} || [[Richard Humphrey (priest)|Richard Charles Humphrey]] ||align=center| 2009 ||align=center| ''incumbent'' ||align=right| {{age in years|2009}} years || <ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.anglicantas.org.au/index.php?item=file&target=diocesan_directory| title = Missionary Diocese of Tasmania| access-date = 2012-12-24| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120915085607/http://www.anglicantas.org.au/index.php?item=file&target=diocesan_directory| archive-date = 15 September 2012| url-status = live}}</ref>
|}

==See also==
{{Portal|Christianity|Architecture}}
*[[List of tallest buildings in Hobart]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website|http://saintdavids.org.au/}}

{{Anglican Church in Australia}}
{{Hobart landmarks}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Davids, Saint, Cathedral, Hobart}}
[[Category:19th-century Anglican church buildings in Australia]]
[[Category:1874 establishments in Australia]]
[[Category:Anglican cathedrals in Australia|Hobart]]
[[Category:Cathedrals in Tasmania]]
[[Category:Churches in Hobart]]
[[Category:George Frederick Bodley church buildings]]
[[Category:Gothic Revival architecture in Hobart]]
[[Category:Gothic Revival church buildings in Australia]]
[[Category:Tasmanian Heritage Register]]
[[Category:Macquarie Street, Hobart]]