With the current restoration program at St Matthews, there is anticipated to be a certain degree of ground disturbance to the site, through trenching for drainage, service connections and foundation works. The proposed demolition of the cement-block kindergarten hall (1963) adjacent will also result in disturbance of ground.
According to the St Matthews Glenorchy – register of Deaths (AOT NS 229/204) there were
150 burials at St Matthews between 1843 and 1870 (when Cornelian Bay Cemetery was opened). Several headstones also indicate post 1870 burials. This means that beneath the former extent of St Matthews Churchyard, lies the remains of at least 150 people. Only 17 headstones remain, which were removed from their original location in 1959 and cemented to the outside walls of the church. These have recently been removed and it is intended to reerect these on-site in a place more appropriate to their conservation and interpretation.
The burial register and remaining headstones of St Matthews cemetery reveal the names of many pioneers of the district, with names such as O’Brien, Hull, Tilyard, Branscombe, and
Butterworth represented. The prominent Colonial Surveyor, James Sprent is buried there.
This being one of the earliest burial grounds in the district, St Matthews cemetery has a very high level of historical significance. The continuity of pioneer names throughout today’s population means that this cemetery also has immeasurable community significance and has the potential to be the focal point of interpreting the earliest European settlement of the district, and the birth of the city. Aside from its spiritual and community significance, this site is a significant archaeological site, the physical attributes of which certainly have the potential for research into colonial burial practices.
A thorough understanding of the site is therefore required when approaching works to ensure that the integrity of the site is maintained, and its longer-term restoration and management is undertaken in a manner appropriate to the management of a colonial cemetery. This document aims to give a brief historical context to the site, to analyse the physical evidence of the cemetery, and to undertake an assessment of primary documentation, which might give clues as to the original layout, and to define the extent of the original churchyard.
From this, policies and recommendations will be made to ensure that the current works will not have any undue negative impact on the heritage values of the site, and to assist in planning for the interpretation of the site. Specific recommendations will include:
-
Suggested sites for repositioning of headstones based on knowledge of their original locations
-
Policies and guidelines excavation in the churchyard and immediate vicinity
It is expected that the recommendations derived from this report will act to guide both the works program and planning for redevelopment of the site generally.
Public comment and review of this document is invited. For enquiries/comments please contact:
Brad Williams – Heritage Officer, Glenorchy City Council
PO Box 103
GLENORCHY TAS 7010
Ph – 03 621616671 bwilliams@gcc.tas.gov.au
St Matthews Church, 2 Tolosa Street, Glenorchy. Archaeological Survey and Mitigation Strategy
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The history of the physical evolution of the site has been documented in Section 2 of the
Conservation Management Plan, The Former St Matthews Church, Glenorchy (Davies 2002:4-
7). More detailed historical research on the History of St Matthews was undertaken by Deane
(1999) which is included as Appendix 9.4 of the CMP. The following is a brief synopsis of St
Matthews history taken from these documents;
Following formation of the O’Briens Bridge (later Glenorchy) Presbyterian congregation, St
Matthews Church was designed by Colonial Architect, James Blackburn in 1839. Sir John Franklin laid the foundation stone in December of that year. Constructed by convict labour over a two-year period, the building was completed in 1841 at a final cost of £1500. In 1855 a bell and bellcote was added to the tower and c1850 a sandstone hall was built at the rear. The church-ground includes a cemetery, which was closed in 1903. The early twentieth century saw troubled times for
St Matthews, with a rapid succession of ministers, attempted amalgamations and dwindling numbers making sustainability of the building difficult. In 1959 the headstones from the cemetery were removed and rearranged around the foundations of the church. The cement block kindergarten building adjacent to the church was constructed in 1963.
By 1966, St Matthews was rapidly becoming recognised as a significant element of Glenorchy’s heritage, by which time its was one of only four buildings in the city which were deemed by the
National Trust as being of national significance. Nonetheless, by 1970 the church was in desperate need of restoration. After several attempts to purchase and restore the Church over a thirty-year period (and having provided assistance in maintenance), in 2000 Glenorchy City
Council negotiated acquisition of the church. It is envisaged that following the current program of restoration works, that the church will become a well-utilised public space, ensuring that the building will continue to function as a hub of the community and provide a focal-point for the central business district of the city.
St Matthews Church therefore has the potential to be the premier heritage icon in the
Glenorchy CBD. It is rare to find such an aesthetically pleasing and historically significant building in this area, and being a centrally located building in public ownership gives St
Matthews the opportunity to become a valuable asset to the citizens of Glenorchy.
St Matthews Church, 2 Tolosa Street, Glenorchy. Archaeological Survey and Mitigation Strategy
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J A M E S B L A C K B U R N ’ S 1 8 3 9 E L E V E A T I O N O F T H E
P R O P O S E D S C O T S C H U R C H ,
O B R I E N S B R I D G E ( G L E N O R C H Y )
A R C H I V E S O F F I C E O F T A S M A N I A
For the purposes of this document, the following terminology will be used to broadly define site components:
-
Site – The former St Matthew Church allotment, being the whole of registered title numbers D43605 and P112330 – as depicted on the diagram below.
-
Church – St Matthews Church (main building) built 1841
-
Hall – The building at the rear of the church (c1850s), tenanted by the Glenorchy
History Group
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Kindergarten – The concrete block building adjacent to the church (built 1963), tenanted by the Hobart City Mission
-
Bus interchange – The Glenorchy ‘Bus-mall’, adjacent St Matthews in Tolosa Street
(in particular the thin strip of land immediately adjacent St Matthews once forming part of that allotment).
-
Church Yard – The entire original allotment of St Matthews Church (i.e. the whole of the area depicted below, minus the carpark).
-
Forecourt – The area in front of the church
-
Council – Glenorchy City Council (or the former Glenorchy Council)
The St Matthews site, 2 Tolosa Street, Glenorchy. Broad areas of the site as defined in this report
(image adapted from Davies 2002).
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The following documents have been commissioned by Glenorchy City Council since acquisition of the property in 2000. Collectively, they form a reasonable comprehensive guide to the conservation of the church associated buildings. As the do not consider in any great detail the landscape setting of the buildings, and are wholly lacking in archaeological assessment, this document aims to add to the information contained therein. Reference will be made to each of these documents as appropriate:
-
Conservation Management Plan, The Former St Matthews Church Glenorchy, Davies, 5/2002 o Synopsis: Undertaken as part of a State/Local Government Partnership Agreement, the policies and recommendations this document have directed site works to date. The documents cited below have been based on recommendations from the CMP to further detail works as part of the overall long-term restoration, management and interpretation of St
Matthews. This document includes fabric analyses, statements of significance, conservation policies and recommendations for the site.
- St Matthews Church Main Road Glenorchy: Structural Assessment, SEMF Holdings, 6/2002 o Synopsis: Alongside the CMP, this document was commissioned to assess the structural condition of St Matthews church and hall, using the 1993 structural assessment as a benchmark to determine the extent and pace of deterioration. This report recommends a program of urgent remedial works be undertaken to ensure survival of the building. These recommendations form the basis for the current funding application.
- St Matthews Church, Glenorchy (Site development report), Morris-Nunn & Assoc. 9/2003 o Synopsis: This document follows the conservation policy to develop a management plan for the buildings and precinct of St Matthews. It develops interpretive and landscape themes and ideas for reuse of the buildings under several contexts.
- St Matthews Church, A Report For Glenorchy City Council (Historical), Scripps 4/2005 o Synopsis: Following the structural assessment and the conservation plan, there was a recognised need for a better understanding of the evolution of specific elements of the church
(namely the bell tower, surface finishes and monuments), a further history of these elements was commissioned. This gives a greater understanding of the fine detail history, which is pertinent to ensuring that these elements of the building are restored within the correct context in-line with best practice.
- St Matthews Church, Glenorchy, Tasmania: Investigation of Paint Finishes, Ellesmore, 7/2005
 Synopsis: In order to ensure that eventual internal and external paint finishes were consistent with traditional colours, photomicrograph analysis of paint samples was undertaken to develop a colour scheme for the building. This document will aid in the development of specific conservation and interpretation planning for the building.
-
St Matthews Glenorchy, Brief Report on Conditions of Headstones and Approach to Relocation,
Thorne 2006.

Synopsis: Specialist conservator Andrew Thorn was consulted to provide a brief report on the condition of headstones, and to make recommendations as to the requirements for their long-term repositioning.
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The current restoration works arise from various recommendations resulting from these documents. With assistance from the Department of Environment and Heritage, Glenorchy
City Council are undertaking the first phase of works, involving stabilisation and remedial restoration of the Church. Future stages, commencing September 2006 will involve demolition of the 1963 kindergarten building adjacent and restoration of the grounds of St Matthews.
J A M E S B L A C K B U R N ’ S 1 8 3 9 E L E V E A T I O N O F T H E
P R O P O S E D S C O T S C H U R C H ,
O B R I E N S B R I D G E ( G L E N O R C H Y )
A R C H I V E S O F F I C E O F T A S M A N I A
As stated above, there has been several conservation planning documents commissioned for
St Matthews Church. Others reports on the redevelopment of Glenorchy’s CBD also include St
Matthews. Overall, these documents fail to adequately address the archaeological sensitivity/potential of the site. The recommendations of these will be briefly discussed below, and comment made regarding their potential impact on the archaeological values of the site:
The study which has been endorsed by council and guides the restoration of St Matthews buildings is: Conservation Management Plan, The Former St Matthews Church Glenorchy
(Davies 2004). In particular, pp46-49 of this report details the best-practice conservation of the forecourt and grounds. Whilst concerned with the re-erection of a historically accurate fence, the condition of gravestones, and history of the gardens, this document wholly fails to address the issue of the archaeology of the site.
The recent Main Road Corridor Master Plan proposed that the forecourt of St Matthews be reinvigorated into public space by opening the adjacent (privately owned) building onto the forecourt and encouraging activities such as street dining on that site. The concept proposed in this document is deemed inappropriate as it fails to adequately conserve the historic integrity of the site and is contrary to the conservation plan. This proposal also ignored the fact that this is a cemetery – a space sacred to the pioneers of the city, therefore a paved dining area immediately on top would be inappropriate.
A study by Morris-Nunn & Associates (2003) proposes paved public open space and seating, which maintains a garden setting with re-integration of the headstones and introduction of interpretive signage – all to be in line with the philosophy of the conservation plan. This ‘urban square’ option, although better emphasising the historical significance of the place, is also deemed inappropriate as the open-plan public square with seating would detract from the churchyard setting. Although using the side of the church as a landscaped area to display
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gravestones, it is considered that this proposal would not offer the setting that this icon heritage building deserves. No consideration to the integrity or interpretation of the archaeology of the site is given.
Consultation with the Glenorchy History Group and community members has reinforced the public view that the primary significance of St Matthews Church Yard is the fact that it is a cemetery. Redevelopment of the site must address the need to present and interpret it as such and there is room for a balance between historically accurate re-creation of a country cemetery, which can also act as usable public space.
Whilst providing diverse and adequate debates as to the overall future presentation of the site, it is considered that none of the abovementioned documents are adequate to provide guidance for maintaining the archaeological integrity of the site. Although acknowledged here that this was probably beyond the scope of these documents (with the exception of the conservation management plan), the purpose of the current document is to help fill that gap in the conservation policies.
The above historical overview provides a brief contextual history for the site. To reinforce the archaeological survey, sources specific to the layout of the site will be examined here. They key resources examined here are various depictions of the site from photographs and maps.
Certainly, further research and public consultation would bring to light previously unexamined resources which may add to the conclusions drawn here from the available evidence. This document should be updated should further evidence come to hand in the future.
The land upon which St Matthews sits was donated by Mr George Hull, former Commissariat
Officer of Van Diemens Land and original owner of Tolosa, for the purposes of the erection of a
Scots church. The titles of the site indicate that it was part of a grant to a George Frederick
Read – how Hull came about the property requires further research.
A search of the Lands Department archive, as well as the Archives Office of Tasmania, has yielded no detailed early maps of the area near St Matthews Church. The earliest plan located dates probably from the 1850s (Figure 1), which shows the church (albeit with a slightly different footprint), ‘school house’ and privy. The proportions of this allotment are similar to the current configuration (excluding the current car-park). This plan, however does not indicate what the adjoining land was used for, therefore exactly where the cemetery was contained. It can only be assumed that the cemetery was contained wholly within the church allotment.
Certainly, the adjoining land was privately owned throughout the twentieth century. Further research into adjoining land titles would resolve whether these were ever owned by the church, however it will be assumed at this stage that the St Matthews allotment was never any larger than denoted in Figure 1.
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Figure 1 – A c1850s map showing St Matthews Church (AOT NS 1305/1).
Further indication of the layout of St Matthews Churchyard can be gained form a 1946 aerial photograph of the site (Figure 2), which shows the hall with an extension to the rear (removed c2002) and a dwelling at the rear (upon what is now the carpark). The history of this dwelling is unclear (i.e. whether it was St Matthews Presbytery?) and requires further research. A 1949 sketch plan of the site (GCC building application 2037) shows the site of this dwelling belonging to Glenorchy Municipal Council and in 1965 it was owned by a Mr Mason (see Figure 3).
The 1946 aerial supports the 1850s plan of the site (Figure 1) which suggests that the original
St Matthews Churchyard was even smaller than the current site (now incorporating the carpark which is built upon the site of the dwelling).
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Figure 2 – 1946 aerial photograph showing St Matthew Church, hall and a dwelling/outbuildings at the rear.
Prior to 1965, the front section (forecourt) of the allotment had been transferred to the
Glenorchy Council (see Figure 3), however the Church and hall remained in the ownership of the Presbyterian (Uniting) Church of Tasmania until 2000, when the building was acquired by
Glenorchy City Council. During this period, it seems that the forecourt was still recognised as the forecourt of the church, the only change being the 1991 redirection of the Main Road pedestrian path diagonally across the front of the allotment. Apart from this, there is no reason to believe that the configuration of the St Matthews allotment changed greatly until 1994, when a thin strip was subdivided off the side to make way for the bus interchange (see Figure 4).
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Figure 3 – 1965 title plan of St Matthews, showing the forecourt under Council ownership.
Figure 4 – Current title configuration of St Matthews churchyard components
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Based on comparison of Figures 1 and 4, it can reasonably be concluded that the current configuration of the allotment on which St Matthews stands, is of slightly larger proportions to that originally donated by George Hull prior to 1841, as the ca park at rear has been incorporated into the allotment. With a land area of approximately 1560m 2 (i.e. the current church allotment plus forecourt and area incorporated into the bus interchange, less the carpark area). Subtracting from this figure the 250m 2 of space taken up by the church and hall, then the former St Matthews Churchyard (i.e. outdoor place) would have had a likely area of around 1200m 2 .
Considering that there is at least 150 burials on that site, then this equates to an average of 1 burial per
8m 2 . Assuming an average burial plot size of 2m 2 , then at least a quarter of the entire churchyard would have human remains below. This density would be even greater if there were large areas (i.e the rear) of the site completely devoid of burials.
The following section will draw on photographic evidence, in an attempt to determine where the concentrations of these burials were likely to have taken place, and to attempt to determine the exact original locations of the remaining headstones.
The majority of known photographs of St Matthews date from 1900 onwards. Only those predating the
1950s have been included here, as they represent the cemetery in its most intact form. There are several depictions of St Matthews from the mid 1800s (i.e. 1847 sketch by deWessellow which clearly shows St Matthews), however these have not proven fruitful for determining the layout of the churchyard.
Photograph 1 – A circa 1900 image of St Matthews Church. This is perhaps the best indication cited here of the actual layout of the cemetery. An enlarged version of the forecourt visible in this photograph is overleaf.
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Photograph 2 – Enlarged excerpt from Photograph 1 (c1900) showing detail of headstone arrangement. This demonstrates that there was a row of headstones immediately adjacent to either side of the central pathway. Headstones on the Tolosa Street side of the path faced towards the north-west, whilst those on the other side of the path faced the south-east - a break from conventional burial practice with the obvious intention of having headstones face the path. Most other headstones visible face the north-west. Many of the graves were surrounded by picket fences with ornate posts. Although characteristics of individual headstones are difficult to decipher form this image, it clearly demonstrates that there was a large number of headstones on the north-western side of the church, now the site of the kindergarten building. Photograph 3 gives an annotated version of this image, which attempts to identify individual headstones based on those remaining on-site.
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Figure 5 – Annotated version of Photograph 2 showing similarities to remaining headstones.
The annotations in Figure 5 present the best available representation of the likely positions of some remaining headstones. This assumption was based on the following:
-
The Wilson grave site is the only one which can be identified with 100% certainty.
-
The Mann, Lane, Brett, Harley and Lester headstones resemble those marked on the photograph very closely. This does, however, assume that similar headstones were not in those positions which have since been removed from the site.
-
The headstone marked ‘missing’ does not resemble any which are left on-site. Those which are unmarked (6+) cannot be linked with remaining headstones due to insufficient detail in the photograph.
Photographs 3 to 5, whilst providing no additional evidence, supports some of the assumptions made when annotating Figure 1. Figure 6 is an artistic depiction of St Matthews in 1949 which shows the location of 3 headstones. This supports the positioning of the Lester and McNamara headstones, however the headstone depicted to the left of these in Figure 6 does not correlate with any existing. This may have been lost between 1949 and 1959, or merely an artistic representation.
Photograph 3 – A c1910 postcard of St Matthews Church. This shows a low woven-wire fence around the grave possibly belonging to Lane – see Figure 6).
St Matthews Church, 2 Tolosa Street, Glenorchy. Archaeological Survey and Mitigation Strategy
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Photograph 4 – c1930 photograph of St Matthews.
St Matthews Church, 2 Tolosa Street, Glenorchy. Archaeological Survey and Mitigation Strategy
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Photograph 5 – A c1920 photograph of St Matthews. AS shown in Photographs 1-3, there are a number of headstones to the north-western side of the church, as well as a timber shed.
St Matthews Church, 2 Tolosa Street, Glenorchy. Archaeological Survey and Mitigation Strategy
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In addition to the photographic evidence, a short film exists from the 1941 100 th anniversary of
St Matthews Church. In relation to the cemetery, several screen-captures from this film demonstrates the following:
-
The headstone of Mary Anne Wilson was situated adjacent to the front door (near the tower) and was surrounded by a cement/stone kerb. It faced north-west (Photograph
6).
-
By 1941 Several of the headstones at the side of the church, visible in Photographs 1-
4 had already been removed (Photograph 7).
-
On the north-western side of the path, the headstone closest to the gate had a low iron surround and adjacent grave had a footstone. They both faced south-east
(Photograph 8).
Photograph 6 – Mary Ann Wilson’s grave 1941.
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Photograph 7 – Front of St Matthews 1941 showing that some of the headstones at the side had been removed by that time.
Photograph 8 – Front path of St Matthews, facing from the door, showing the footstone (possibly
Harley’) and surround of tho graves.
St Matthews Church, 2 Tolosa Street, Glenorchy. Archaeological Survey and Mitigation Strategy
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Photograph 9 – A 1934 image of the front door of St Matthews, from The Tasmanian Mail 6/12/1934
Figure 6 – Sketch of St Matthews Church by Kenneth Jack 1949 (From Turnbull 1949:16)
There has been a significant amount of public consultation undertaken by Glenorchy City
Council during the course of planning restoration works at St Matthews. A great deal of interest in the repositioning of headstones has been expressed by the public, however no information has been brought forward about the original layout of the cemetery.
A member of the Glenorchy History Group recalled to Council’s Heritage Officer that during the development of King George V oval at Glenorchy, some damaged headstones were used in fill for knolls. The exact circumstances of this event are unknown, and it may be fruitful to investigate further.
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The scope of this report has not allowed a comprehensive search of all available records relating to St Matthews. In Particular, a greater analysis of land titles is recommended to better piece together the subdivision and amalgamation of land comprising (and adjoining) the site.
The forecourt of St Matthews Church has great potential for the application of archaeological remote sensing through geophysical means. Ground penetrating radar, resistivity and/or electromagnetic induction survey may yield a greater knowledge of the exact locations of burials on the site. This may not be applicable to other parts of the site (i.e. under the kindergarten building) due to excessive prior disturbance. There is reason to believe that the forecourt has not been subject to major disturbance therefore these methods may be applicable.
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Based on the analysis of specific historic sources, the following recommendations are made in relation to maintaining the archaeological integrity of St Matthews churchyard, and towards the repositioning of headstones.
Until a better understanding of the former layout of the site can be gained, all areas of the site
are considered to be of high archaeological potential. As there is a known heavy concentration of burials in the forecourt and to the north-western side of the church (i.e. under the building proposed to be demolished) these areas are considered to be of extremely high
archaeological potential. As this potential is likely to manifest in human remains and the evidence of colonial burial practices, then the site as a whole is considered to be of extremely high heritage significance.
Accordingly, any works on-site must have regard to the guidelines set by the Tasmanian
Heritage Council’s Archaeological Practice Note (Number 2).
All over the site, there is the potential to yield significant archaeological remains. Whilst it can be assumed that the all headstones and grave surrounds have been removed, it is possible that there may be remnants of these at any point on the site (i.e. a section of an ornately carved headstone was recently found under the floor of the tower). There may be archaeological traces of the building which once stood on the current car park. Whilst of lower archaeological significance that the rest of the site, consideration should be given to this nonetheless.
Excavations currently being undertaken to the immediate perimeter of the church are not planned to exceed 300mm, therefore pose little threat to the archaeological integrity of the site.
These excavations are essential to rectifying the drainage and water retention issues threatening the building. Nonetheless, these are to be monitored by an archaeologist and any significant finds are to be closely assessed and documented.
The most substantial excavations planned for the site are associated with the proposed demolition of the former kindergarten building. Plans for this building indicate that the 210mm strip footings for the blockwork walls sit upon piers , the whole of which are imbedded up to
1000-1200mm below ground level. The isolated piers designed to support the 150mm thick timber floor bearers are buried over 900mm into the ground. The plans also indicate stormwater drains 1050mm deep. Overall, the plans for the building indicate significant areas of excavation beneath that building up to approximately 1200mm below ground level. Key factors to keep in mind here are:
-
Assuming a grave-depth of 1800mm, then the upper limits of human remains may be shallower than 1300mm. With the construction of the kindergarten building having excavated to at least 1200mm, there is a very shallow buffer between burials and the foundations, which are to be removed.
-
Assuming a burial-to-land area density of 0.25:1, there is a 25% chance that any one point of excavation is on top of a burial. Considering the likelihood that the area beneath the kindergarten had a higher density, then this chance is greater.
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-
Construction of the kindergarten building is likely to have had significant impact on the archaeological integrity of that part of the site.
Although acknowledging that the construction of this building has already disturbed the ground in this area, removal of material below ground level during demolition may further disturb archaeological deposits. It is recommended that, where possible, the piered footings remain in-
situ following demolition of the building. This may be achievable, considering that the piers were designed to support a concrete footing, which is likely to have been poured later, therefore might be able to be broken away from the piers. It may also be possible to cut piers off, just below the proposed new ground level, so that they can remain in-situ.
With the above considerations guiding the demolition design, no excavation is to be undertaken on the site, as well as the area of the bus interchange which was once a part
of that site, without archaeological supervision.
Glenorchy City Council’s Heritage Officer (Brad Williams) will be the Archaeologist supervising the works proposed for 2006. He is contactable on 0418 303184 (private number).
Demolition of the building to the top of the footing level will not require archaeological monitoring, however archaeological monitoring is necessary when at the top of footing level or below.
Excavation of any part of the site for the removal, maintenance or installation of service trenches (i.e. water and drainage) must be archaeologically supervised.
Excavation to a depth of 500mm is allowable by mechanical means whilst under the supervision of an archaeologist. Excavation deeper than 500mm should be done by hand under archaeological supervision.
Any structure, remains of headstones, human remains, grave surrounds or artifactual evidence is to be reported to the Archaeologist immediately.
Any artefacts relating to Aboriginal occupation must be reported to the Tasmanian Aboriginal
Heritage Office immediately (via Council’s Heritage Officer), and any conditions imposed by that office must be observed.
The archaeologist reserves the right to stop-work immediately should any item of high archaeological significance be uncovered. Whilst work may continue on other parts of the site, work should not recommence in the area of concern until it has been ascertained that no further damage will be done to the site or artifacts.
Through an analysis of the historic evidence, and with observation of the physical remains of the cemetery (the 17 headstones), the following positions are suggested as possible original locations for some of the headstones:
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Figure 7 – Based on the historical evidence (and constraints of such) presented in this report, Figure x shows the approximate location of 7 of the 17 headstones remaining at St Matthews.
As stated in the historical evidence above, only Wilson’s grave can be located with complete certainty. Grant’s is almost certain, however all others rely on the shape of the headstone remaining being unique in the original cemetery. Nonetheless, with this in mind, it is considered that the evidence assessed gives sufficient justification for re-positioning those headstones to the approximate locations shown in Figure 7. This is subject to those headstones being sufficiently stable to be free-standing (see comments below). Archaeological survey through geophysical remote sensing may assist in the accurate positioning of these headstones.
As the primary heritage significance of St Matthews is the fact that it is a cemetery, and the known community support for the site to be interpreted as such, it is recommended that every attempt be made to gain further information on the exact placement of headstones within the church yard. Further historical research and archaeological research should be undertaken to assist in this.
In reference to the repositioning of headstones, Thorne’s 2006 report states:
 Placing sandstone against a wall, whatever the materials, allows for moisture to enter the stone from the wall. This has been avoided in the current location simply through no contact with the wall. Even creating an additional mass of inert material on one side of the stones will encourage differentials on thermal and moisture profiles.
 The wall concept will make the headstones less vulnerable to vandalism but this may not be a major issue in such a prominent location.
 Building support walls will be more expensive than support bases but this depends to a large extent on how intact the bases of the headstones are.
Once conserved, which may include additional treatments such as cleaning, the stone should then be stood on their former site in a manner most reflective of the former burial arrangement. There is no advantage in using support walls other than to reduce the potential for vandalism, assuming this has been identified as a high risk in this location.
This supports the concept that, if possible, the headstones should be re-erected as stand-alone monuments in a context reminiscent of the former cemetery. Only those stones which require
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additional support for stabilisation reasons should not be free-standing. Subtle plinths into which the stones could be set, either at or below ground level, is considered the best option for those which are stable enough to be free standing. As Thorne’s report was written whilst the headstones were still cemented to the church wall, it is recommended that he be recommissioned for a follow-up report to ascertain exactly which headstones are able to be free standing, as well as to guide conservation treatments (both short and long-tem) for such.
Photographic evidence shows an array of different grave fencing styles. In Particular the
Wilson grave is initially shown to have had a picket fence surrounding it, and by the 1940s having a stone/cement (the latter more likely) border. Fencing of headstones into individual plots (or in small groups) is acceptable, and it is considered that the replication of early grave surrounds is appropriate to assist in the interpretation of the site (provided that these meet current safety requirements). The use of pickets may be a worthwhile continuation of the themes of earlier fences (of which there is ample evidence of picket styles) should a more modern fence be required for the perimeter (for security reasons – as alluded to in Thorne’s report).
It is obvious, from ground levels in the forecourt, that the overall ground level should be heightened, to address the issue of water retention and for aesthetic purposes. This is considered to be an advantage in preserving the archaeological integrity of the site. Should any geophysical methods be applied to the site (as mentioned above) then these should occur prior to any fill being added. Should significant archaeological deposits be found below the current ground level, (i.e. grave borders, early paths/paving) and if conservation considerations allow, then there is the potential to keep these exposed as part of the interpretation of the site.
Appropriately designed enclosures may allow heightening of the ground level surrounding any features – offering the potential to openly interpret earlier (lower) layer of the site. It is recommended that the design of the church yard redevelopment consider the potential for the interpretation of archaeological deposits.
In addition to the above points, the redevelopment of St Matthews Church Yard must have regard to the guidelines of the Tasmanian Heritage Council’s Managing the
Heritage Values of Cemeteries Practice Note Number 11.
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