Historical information
The bluestone 1857-58 former Wesleyan Church, on the corner of Fitzroy Street and Princes Street St Kilda, was one of the first Wesleyan churches in Victoria designed in the gothic style. It had a square central entrance tower and early English stepped buttresses and pinnacles above. It was later the St Kilda Uniting Church and was closed on 25 June 1978. It has now been covered to flats.
Significance
According to Heritage Victoria: The old St Kilda Methodist Church is a finely designed 1850's church building and centrepiece of a group of individually significant buildings in an urban conservation area. Towered churches from the 1850s are rare in Melbourne and this building is thus of special significance in this regard as well as for its design and detailing. This building is an important work of architects Crouch & Wilson. Thomas Crouch was prominent in St Kilda Methodist church affairs and lived locally. He served a term as mayor of St Kilda and also designed the chapel at Pentridge and Methodist churches at Fitzroy, Collingwood, Flemington, Daylesford and Maldon. St Kilda was the home of many of the better off Melbournians in the 1850s, '60s and '70s. The adjacent former Sunday School is one of Melbourne's finest and the combination of fine church and hall side by side gives each added significance. https://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/1110
