BA1853: Cathedral House (formerly Archbishop's Palace), 17 Victoria Square, Perth, 11 November 2018

Summary

Cathedral House formerly Archbishop’s Palace is a three-storey building constructed in 1855 for the Roman Catholic Bishop of Perth, Joseph Serra. Built by Benedictine brother, Giuseppe Ascione, from a design by Serra himself, it is an example of Spanish Renaissance architecture, with its wrought iron balustrading to the balcony, supported by Doric columns. In 1850, Bishop Joseph Serra had become the Roman Catholic Bishop of Perth. Labour for the erection of the Palace was provided by the brothers from Subiaco and, later, those from New Norcia. Although the Bishop’s Palace had been one of Perth’s landmarks, by 1911 it had decayed into something of an eyesore. Under Archbishop Clune’s direction the building underwent a thorough transformation in 1911 to supply much-needed extra accommodation, in addition to up-to-date offices and apartments with entirely new wing erected to the east.The building has continued in use as the Archbishop’s offices and St Mary's Cathedral offices and as a short-term residential accommodation for Church purposes on the upper floors, although the Archbishop no longer resides in the building.