St Bernards, Hartley, NSW, Australia - This Old Church on Waymarking.com

The Catholic Church retains the right to use the Church, with prior arrangement with the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS).

"The beautiful pale sandstone St Bernard's Church was built by local stonemason Alexander Binning, probably from a Gothic prototype. Before it was built, services had to be held in Hartley Courthouse, with the first priest arriving from Ireland in 1838. The stonework was completed in 1846, but the windows and altar came later.

"The church was used continuously until 1963 and is still consecrated and in fine condition. Occasional services such as weddings and funerals are still held in the lovely old building ..." [ex-NPWS website: (visit link) ]

From the Australian Heritage Database:

"St Bernard's Church is designed in Gothic style and it exhibits some French influence. Walling is sandstone and there is some emphasis to quoins. The roof is of parapetted gable form and is clad with corrugated iron (having been originally clad with shingles). There is a bell cote on one gable and a stone cross at the other; on the corners of the building stand small stone spires. Windows are paired lancets with chamfered openings and stone mullions. Fixtures and fittings understood to be early include a panelled dado, timber reredos, French stations of the cross and a French harmonium."
[Primary website link]

At the northern entry to the property is a Historical Marker for the Church, which is transcribed at the following Waymark: (visit link)

Visited 1045, Thursday, 23 May, 2019

Date the Church was built, dedicated or cornerstone laid: 01/01/1848 Age of Church building determined by?: Historical Society If denomination of Church is not part of the name, please provide it here: Catholic Street address of Church: 45 Old Great Western Highway, Hartley, NSW Australia 2790 Primary website for Church or Historic Church Building: [Web Link] Secondary Website for Church or Historic Church Building: [Web Link] If Church is open to the public, please indicate hours: Not listed If Church holds a weekly worship service and "all are welcome", please give the day of the week: Not listed Indicate the time that the primary worship service is held. List only one: Not Listed

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Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log User Rating   11/20/2018 blingg visited it