Anglican Rectory, Pambula (former) | Encyclopedia Of South East History

Former Anglican Rectory, Pambula:

The first Church of England rectory in Pambula was a rented house where Reverend Knight lived until moving to the rectory in Bega. These rented premises were the birthplace of his son, Arthur Mesac Knight, later the Bishop of Rangton. Another older son became the Bishop of Gibraltar.

The Pambula church was operated from Bega between 1866 and 1880, with a lay reader or catechist taking most of the control. From 1877 Pambula was worked from Kameruka, until 1880, when the annual report of the Church Society for that year recording the establishment of the separate Parish of Pambula. The first rector of the newly established parish was the Reverend (afterwards Canon) Richard Leigh, followed by the Reverend James Clarke until 1886 and then the Reverend R. T. Earl (sometimes spelt “Earle”) until 1891. It was under Reverend Earl that considerable parochial expansion took place, including the churches at Eden, Towamba and Wyndham, as well as the rectory at Pambula.

The construction of a rectory for the local Church of England Minister had been raised locally as early as 1873, when a meeting was held to discuss such a proposal, together with a memorial to the Bishop with a view to securing an ordained clergyman for the southern district.

Pambula's Anglican rectory, C. 1920s.

The new weatherboard building was constructed to accommodate the local incumbent minister and his family in the mid-1880s. It was reported that after a confirmation ceremony in 1885 conducted by the Bishop of Goulburn, a meeting of members of the local Church of England was held at which he attended, during which it was resolved to have a parsonage built at a cost of £200. During 1886, the fund raising efforts for the parsonage were reported in local media, including an Art Union, subscription list and a bazaar. In July that year, it was reported that the bazaar was “…an unqualified success…” and it was hoped that the proceeds would amount to about £10, enabling the building committee to accept a contract for the construction of the building. In November it was reported that the land, being allotments 3 and 4 of section 11 and allotment 8 of section 15 had been dedicated sites for the

the Church of England church and parsonage and had been vested in the Bishop of Goulburn and his successors.

By January 1887, it would appear that the building had been completed, with the contractor, John May, paid the £256 in full, and the committee declaring that they desired “…to convey to the contractor – Mr. John May – their entire satisfaction at the workmanlike manner in which the building was carried on to its completion.”

The Church Society report of 1887 records: “At Pambula a parsonage has been very recently constructed on a small scale, capable of enlargement when required.” By 1889, following another successful art union and bazaar, “…the financial success was so great as to leave enough net profits to liquidate the whole of the debt on the parsonage.”

The tender of Mr. A. Wright was accepted for construction of stables at the rectory in 1900 and in 1913 tenders were called for the erection of a verandah to the building.

Over the years, various other additions and alterations have been made to the building, including lowering the internal ceiling heights, removal of the 1913 verandah and addition of a brick and concrete slab patio at the front of the structure.

Pambula's Anglican rectory in the background, with portion of the front verandah enclosed, 1966.

The structure remained in use as a residence for the local Church of England minister until 1968 when a new rectory was constructed at Eden. This became a somewhat contentious issue as far as some Pambula parishioners were concerned and as a result, some members of the Christ Church withdrew from the congregation.

The new brick rectory in Eden was officially dedicated by the Right Reverend C. A. Warren, administrator of the Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn, in September 1968. The original Pambula rectory was sold, and is now in private ownership.

The old Church of England rectory is a weatherboard built house with corrugated

iron M shaped roof and concrete slab and brick deck at front. A weatherboard garage stands to the left of the main building. It is important as a tangible reminder of religious presence in the township. It provided accommodation for the local incumbent and his family from the time it was constructed in 1887 until the rectory was moved to Eden in 1968. The building is typical of Pambula’s 19th and early 20th century architectural style, making it potentially important as a representation of local built heritage. Located as it is on one of the main entrances into the township, it also has the potential to enhance the heritage nature of the township. However, intrusive alterations, additions and subtractions over the years have had a negative impact on the building’s current status.

NOTE: This property is privately owned. Inclusion in this publication does not indicate or imply any general or specific permission for the general public to have access.

Pambula's former Anglican rectory with the stables to the left.

Approximate location of the former Anglican rectory.

References and bibliography:

Baddeley, Ben, pers. comm.
Baddeley Family Papers (private ownership)
Balfe, R. R., (comp.), Shipping in the Ports of the Bega Valley Shire Region 1803 – 1846, October 1995.
Bayley, W. A., The Story of the Settlement and Development of Bega, Sydney, 1942
Bega Gazette
Bega Standard
Candelo & Eden Union
Cornell, Bernard (comp.), Local History Notes, n.p., n.d.
George, Allan, pers. comm.
George, Angela, Pambula District’s Built Heritage – A History, unpublished study, 2006.
Hart, Reverend Fred, pers. comm.
Higgins, Jule, Pambula’s Colonial Days: A Short History of the Period, 1797 – 1901, Merimbula-Imlay Historical Society, Merimbula, 1982.
Illawarra Mercury
Imlay Magnet
Magnet – Voice
Martin Family Papers (private ownership)
Pambula Voice
Town and Country Journal
Whelan, Betty, pers. comm.
Wyatt, Ransome T., The History of the Diocese of Goulburn, Anglican Parish of Binda, 1998