ST Stephen's, an elegant Gothic-style church in Mittagong, designed by famed colonial and diocesan architect Edmund Blacket, was opened in 1878.

Due to financial problems, Blacket's design was not fully realised.

The southern half was completed and its northern end was cladded to allow for the original design to be completed at a later date.

Extensions were commenced in St Stephen's Golden Jubilee year of 1928 with the laying of the foundation stone in November by Mrs J C Wright, the wife of the Archbishop of Sydney.

The additions were designed by Sydney architect, William Nelson, to harmonise with the existing building, the original Blacket plans apparently being unavailable.

The design was modified somewhat from the original Gothic tower and transcept arrangement which so characterised the beauty of the original plans. The additions were built by Councillor H Hedger of Mittagong.

The Robertson Mail reported in 1928 that an interesting incident took place in connection with the extensions when Bob Lee placed the first stone in position.

Bob, who had served as a choir boy, was a grandson of Joseph Lee who worked as stonemason on the original building and, on its completion, had donated a stone font which he had secretly made.

The paper stated that it was very appropriate his grandson should place the first stone in the new building.

Some stones from the old Rowe's Hill Church at Lower Mittagong were obtained and built into the wall of the St Stephen's extensions, thus commemorating the original Mittagong Church in which the Rev James Hassall ministered.

The Sydney Morning Herald anticipated the church extensions by printing, in November 1928, a mock-up sketch of the finished building: "We illustrate to-day the design of St Stephen's Anglican Church at Mittagong, of which the nave, to the length of 80 feet, and two porches are now being completed in stone from the quarries at Bundanoon. The walls are being carried up in Ashlar work with strings and dressings, and moulded tracery windows. The design is decorated Gothic, with dressed stone on the interior and a hammer-beam roof".

The article then provided more detail on the proposed features: there was to be a fine chancel arch with the 28ft long chancel having an organ chamber, large vestries and furniture in waxed oak; windows to be of tracery stonework filled in with stained glass; the roof covering to be of tiles; and the belfry spire and nave fleche to be covered with copper toned with acid.

A memorial belfry tower would complete the design. It was also noted that the building would have panels containing an original casting from the first Mittagong iron, along with several memorial stones and stone corbels in the form of an infantryman's steel helmet and a Light Horseman's hat. The nave would seat 350 people.

THE 1928 extensions completed the basic structure of the church to Blacket's original design. His full transcept arrangement with Gothic-style tower and belfry spire was not built, despite its inclusion in the Herald article, being unfortunately beyond the reach of parish finances.

Even so, St Stephen's in Mittagong is considered by architectural historians to be one of the most interesting of the stone churches in NSW, having been designed by the famed architect Edmund Blacket and situated on a site donated by the Fitzroy Iron Company.

On 10 May 1929, the Robertson Mail provided a report on the dedication ceremonies performed by Dean Talbot of Sydney at St Stephen's in Mittagong:

"Before 11am on Sunday last, the church was crowded to the doors. Every possible seat and chair had been placed in the building, for the congregation had been looking forward to the service for months. The Dean referred to the old slab building which was in use in 1857 in Lower Mittagong and the stone building that succeeded it in 1862, and the erection of the old portion of this church in 1878."

The Dean continued that "In spite of difficulties and depressions, the church had steadily advanced in power and beauty. As he looked down the building he was impressed with the beauty of the architect's conception and the high quality of the work that had been put into it.

The full beauty, however, would not be got inside until the Chancel, the most important part of the church, was built; and outside the conception of the architect would not take its perfect form until the tower and spire were in place pointing ever up to God."

Nonetheless, the church and parish continued to flourish.

This article compiled by Phillip Morton is sourced from the archives of the Berrima District Historical & Family Society.