Murphys House (under consideration for amendment)

Item details


Name of item:	Murphys House (under consideration for amendment)
Other name/s:	St Patricks Cathedral Presbytery, Murphy House
Type of item:	Complex / Group
Group/Collection:	Religion
Category:	Churchyard
Location:	Lat: -33.8091289027 Long: 151.0033296520
Primary address:	1 Marist Place, Parramatta, NSW 2150
Parish:	Field of Mars
County:	Cumberland
Local govt. area:	City of Parramatta
Local Aboriginal Land Council:	Deerubbin

Property description

Lot/Volume Code	Lot/Volume Number	Section Number	Plan/Folio Code	Plan/Folio Number
PART LOT	1		DP	1034092
LOT	1	1	DP	758788

All addresses

Street Address	Suburb/town	LGA	Parish	County	Type
1 Marist Place	Parramatta	City of Parramatta	Field of Mars	Cumberland	Primary Address

Owner/s

Organisation Name	Owner Category	Date Ownership Updated
	Religious Organisation

Statement of significance:


	The site possesses the potential to contribute to an understanding of early urban development in Parramatta. The St Patrick's Cathedral Site is a rare and specific-purpose site dating from the early Colonial period. It has been continuously occupied since the 1820s for the primary purpose of worship. It is within and strongly associated with a precinct where, together with Sydney, the Roman Catholic Mission in Australia began early last century. It has strongly, well documented associations with many notable individuals - clergy and laity, architects and artisans, politicians, lawyers and administrators - some of whom were responsible for the Catholic leadership in Australia and, as with Drs Polding and Ullathorne, had also exercised an influential role in the development of Catholicism in Britain. It has been the focus of an unbroken tradition of Catholic worship in the region for over 160 years and presently continues as such. Both the overall place and particular buildings have a high degree of social value attached to them on account of their importance to the community for giving a sense of identity; for their personal associations and continuity of use for public worship; and, for the Cathedral, as a major community landmark. It is closely associated with the establishment and development of Catholic education in Australia. The wealth of detailed archival material pertaining to the place along with its archaeological resources provides a rich source from which to interpret aspects of the colonial development of Parramatta and records the presence of earlier buildings - such as the Ullathorne church (the first St Patrick's in Australia) and the Pugin church - of seminal importance in the evolution of the Gothic Revival style in Australia It plays a major townscape role as part of an important group of earlier buildings within the City of Parramatta and which have as their immediate setting Prince Alfred Park. It has strong associations with other important colonial sites such as the nearby old goal site, the St Patrick's Cemetery in Church Street and the former Female Orphanage (now the Norma Parker Centre). There is considerable potential, using actual fabric where appropriate, to interpret these important connections. It has the capacity to demonstrate, through its site fabric and layout, its particularly rich history including the beginnings, consolidation and growth of the catholic faith in Parramatta since the 1820s; changing liturgical approaches; and changing social and professional taste. It contains items which are both rare in NSW, and likely Australia, and mostly intact, including the A W N Pugin-designed Early English tower (probably unique in Australia) along with other Pugin details recycled from the 1850s church; and Thomas Sealy's carved stonework - the marble Gothic Revival intramural memorial to Dean Coffey and the sandstone coat of arms of Archbishop Polding (Britton and Lavelle, 1998).
	Date significance updated: 12 Nov 08
	Note: The State Heritage Inventory provides information about heritage items listed by local and State government agencies. The State Heritage Inventory is continually being updated by local and State agencies as new information becomes available. Read the Department of Premier and Cabinet copyright and disclaimer.

Description


Designer/Maker:	James Whitmore Hill
Builder/Maker:	A.E. Gould
Construction years:	1904-

Historic themes

Australian theme (abbrev)	New South Wales theme	Local theme
2. Peopling-Peopling the continent	Ethnic influences-Activities associated with common cultural traditions and peoples of shared descent, and with exchanges between such traditions and peoples.	Irish religious practices - Catholicism-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Environment - cultural landscape-Activities associated with the interactions between humans, human societies and the shaping of their physical surroundings	Landscapes of contemplation and devotion-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Land tenure-Activities and processes for identifying forms of ownership and occupancy of land and water, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal	Alienating Crown Lands for religious purposes-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Towns, suburbs and villages-Activities associated with creating, planning and managing urban functions, landscapes and lifestyles in towns, suburbs and villages	Creating landmark structures and places in urban settings-
4. Settlement-Building settlements, towns and cities	Towns, suburbs and villages-Activities associated with creating, planning and managing urban functions, landscapes and lifestyles in towns, suburbs and villages	Beautifying towns and villages-
6. Educating-Educating	Education-Activities associated with teaching and learning by children and adults, formally and informally.	Private (religious) schooling-
7. Governing-Governing	Government and Administration-Activities associated with the governance of local areas, regions, the State and the nation, and the administration of public programs - includes both principled and corrupt activities.	Developing roles for government - providing community facilities-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Creative endeavour-Activities associated with the production and performance of literary, artistic, architectural and other imaginative, interpretive or inventive works; and/or associated with the production and expression of cultural phenomena; and/or environments that have inspired such creative activities.	Designing making and using ecclesiastical furniture-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Creative endeavour-Activities associated with the production and performance of literary, artistic, architectural and other imaginative, interpretive or inventive works; and/or associated with the production and expression of cultural phenomena; and/or environments that have inspired such creative activities.	Designing structures to emphasise their important roles-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Creative endeavour-Activities associated with the production and performance of literary, artistic, architectural and other imaginative, interpretive or inventive works; and/or associated with the production and expression of cultural phenomena; and/or environments that have inspired such creative activities.	Creating works of art-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Creative endeavour-Activities associated with the production and performance of literary, artistic, architectural and other imaginative, interpretive or inventive works; and/or associated with the production and expression of cultural phenomena; and/or environments that have inspired such creative activities.	Adaptation of overseas design for local use-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Creative endeavour-Activities associated with the production and performance of literary, artistic, architectural and other imaginative, interpretive or inventive works; and/or associated with the production and expression of cultural phenomena; and/or environments that have inspired such creative activities.	Architectural styles and periods - Victorian Gothic Revival-
8. Culture-Developing cultural institutions and ways of life	Religion-Activities associated with particular systems of faith and worship	Practising Catholicism-
9. Phases of Life-Marking the phases of life	Birth and Death-Activities associated with the initial stages of human life and the bearing of children, and with the final stages of human life and disposal of the dead.	Erecting and visiting monuments and memorials-

Procedures /Exemptions

Section of act	Description	Title	Comments	Action date
57(2)	Exemption to allow work	Heritage Act	demolition of rear ancillary wings Refer to standard exemptions gazetted 23 October 1998. Order Under Section 57(2) to exempt the following activities from Section 57(1): In respect of the engaging in or carrying out by the owner, mortgagee or lesee of th land described hereafter of any activities related to the demolition of the rear ancillary wings not affecting the main building known as Murphy House, Marist Place, Parramatta, being the land shown edged heavy black on the plan catalogued H.C. 396 in the Office of the Heritage Council of New South Wales, being the building referred to in Interim Conservation Order No. 174 and not otherwise. (H.C. 30133 Pt 3)	Feb 27 1981
CMP-Comment	Conservation Plan submitted for comment	Murphy House, St Patrick's Cathedral precinct, Parramatta CMP, by Peter Freeman Pty Ltd for the Catholic Diocese of Parramatta, dated March 2003	CMP accepted as a mutually agreed management document for a period of five years from 27 February 2006	Feb 27 2006
57(2)	Exemption to allow work	Standard Exemptions	HERITAGE ACT 1977 ORDER UNDER SECTION 57(2) TO GRANT STANDARD EXEMPTIONS FROM APPROVAL I, Penny Sharpe, the Minister for Heritage, on the recommendation of the Heritage Council of New South Wales and under section 57(2) of the Heritage Act 1977: revoke the order made on 2 June 2022 and published in the Government Gazette Number 262 of 17 June 2022; and grant an exemption from section 57(1) of the Act in respect of the engaging in or carrying out the class of activities described in clause 2 Schedule A in such circumstances specified by the relevant standards in clause 2 Schedule A and General Conditions in clause 3 Schedule A. This Order takes effect on the date it is published in the NSW Government Gazette. Dated this 29th day of October 2025 The Hon Penny Sharpe MLC Minister for Heritage For more information on standard exemptions click on the link below.	Nov 7 2025

Standard exemptions for engaging in or carrying out activities / works otherwise prohibited by section 57(1) of the Heritage Act 1977

Listings

Heritage Listing	Listing Title	Listing Number	Gazette Date	Gazette Number	Gazette Page
Heritage Act - State Heritage Register		00238	02 Apr 99	27	1546
Heritage Act - Permanent Conservation Order - former		00238	16 Nov 84	161	5623
State Environmental Planning Policy	St. Patrick's Cathedral, Presbytery & precinct & p		20 Aug 99
Register of the National Estate			21 Mar 78

References, internet links & images

Type	Author	Year	Title	Internet Links
Written	Britton, G. & Lavelle, S.	1998	Conservation Plan for St. Patrick's Cathedral and Site Precinct, Parramatta
Management Plan	Peter Freeman Pty Ltd	2003	Murphy House St Patricks Cathedral Precinct, Parramatta : conservation management plan / Prepared for the

Note: internet links may be to web pages, documents or images.

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Data source


The information for this entry comes from the following source:
Name:	Heritage NSW
Database number:	5045425
File number:	S91/00681/4

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