Our History

The Church had an important part in the development of Singleton. The Presbyterians were the first to establish a Church with a settled minister in 1837 The Church of England was to follow in 1843, the Roman Catholics in 1844, the Methodists in 1856 and the Salvation Army in 1885.

In 1837 the Rev. William Hetherington arriving from Scotland was inducted as the first minister in Singleton. The work of the Presbyterian Church became a focal point to all Christians as it was the only Church in town.

The original Church stood on the corner of Hunter St. and Church St, built in 1838, enlarged in 1878-79 and served until the construction of the present church. The new church was built opposite the original church. The foundation stone  laid on 15 December 1904 and opened on 31 May 1906 and cost £5000 to build.The original church was then demolished and a new hall complex was built. Designed by the Sydney architects Nixon & Adam in the Gothic style, the original plans included a tall tower and spire, but this has never been built.

Splendid stained glass memorial windows enhance the beauty of the interior. This building has some fine tracery on Ravensfield stone and the roof is covered with Welsh slate. The interior roof is on the hammer beam principle with solid ribs and moulded cornices. Seating for about 400 persons is made from beautiful kauri wood.

The church contains many fine memorials, chief of which is the pipe organ, installed in memory of soldiers who fought in World War 1.The organ was built in the 1880’s. There is a memorial tablet in memory of Trooper Herbert Waddell, the only Singleton soldier to be killed in the Boer War. Rushworth records that the instrument was probably built in 1885 by Charles Richardson, of Sydney, for Vakrupa, the Wollongong residence of Ernest L. Sutton. It was installed in its present location in 1920 at a cost of £550 and survives in this form today with only minor alterations: most of the changes were made in or before 1920.

It was the labours of the Rev. Dr. J.S. White that became famous in the Singleton area. Dr. White was the first fully trained minister in Australia. He was a great pastor, Biblical scholar and Educationalist. His ministry was to last over 50 years. He was greatly involved in all aspects of community life. He was the first president of the Mechanics Institute which was formed in 1866.

His impact upon the Singleton community was such a memorial was built by public subscription. It can be view today on the corner of Church St. and Hunter St.  The site is on the Church property opposite the Church Hall which is now part of the Uniting Church of Australia.

On the west side of the church is a memorial window in memory of Flying Officer Merton George Pepper who died in Europe in World War 11.

A columbarium, the gift of the Bowman family in memory of Robert Stanley Bowman of “Carrawa”, Jerrys Plains, was erected in the church grounds in 1961.