Circa 1900
This photograph looking South East along Mostyn Street from Kennedy Street shows the Castlemaine Christ Church Anglican on Agitation Hill. The hill in Mostyn Street was originally as high as the church building but the road was cut down in the second half of the 1800s to its present level, leaving the building high and dry on the hill. As a consequence the large stone wall visible was erected to support the cutting and the church. The foundation stone of this stone building was laid in February 1854 and officially opened on February 21, 1858, and it was later extended to include a sanctuary and vestry in 1892. On the stone wall facing Mostyn Street is a small plaque to commemorate one of the very early European visitors to the site, John Hepburn who camped on the hill on April 17, 1838.
2023
The present day structure of the church has barely changed in the approximately 130 odd years since the earlier photograph was taken, except that the whole area on the Mostyn Street side of the church has been covered with a large variety of trees scrubs and gardens.
Modern day safety features also line the top of the cut on the church property. Part of the retaining wall on Mostyn Street that collapsed in recent times has now been replaced and is ready to last another 100 years. Information and photos courtesy of Ken McKimmie author of Chewton Then and Now.