Here at St. Jude’s Anglican Church Dural, history whispers from every stone. Anglican ministry in Dural began in the early 19th century. Clergymen like Rev Samuel Marsden occasionally visited. They served the sawyers and pioneer farmers of the area.
In 1839, Rev William Clarke became the first minister. Bishop Broughton appointed him to the new parish of Castle Hill and Dural. However, there was no actual church building yet. A Church of England school existed in Dural in 1839. But it wasn’t until 1846-48 that St. Jude’s was built. It stood on what was then the Great North Road to the Hunter Valley.
Dural remained part of Castle Hill parish from 1839 to 1937. During that time, three Anglican branch churches were built in the Dural district. These were Kenthurst in 1887, Annangrove in 1899, and Arcadia in 1907. Dural Public School replaced the denominational school in 1869.
St. Jude’s Anglican Cemetery opened in 1876. It is still used for parishioners today. A Parish Hall was built in Dural in 1914-16. It stands on the site of the old schoolhouse.
In its first century, prominent families led activities at St. Jude’s. These families included the Bests, the Moores, and the Fullers.
St. Jude’s Dural became a Provisional Parish in 1937. Rev Ronnie O’Brien was appointed the first Rector. During his time from 1937-1949, three more branch churches were added. These were Galston in 1938, Annangrove in 1939, and Glenorie in 1941. Dural became a fully fledged Parish in 1947.
The Dural parish reached its peak in 1951. Hillside was added, bringing the total to seven churches. The Rector serviced all of them. In the 1970s, the trend reversed. Kenthurst became a separate Provisional Parish. Glenorie, Hillside, and Annangrove branch churches closed. Galston followed in 1983. This left Arcadia as the sole remaining branch church in Dural parish.
A new, larger building was completed in late 1979. It provides space for church services and other parish functions. The original St. Jude’s church continues to be used for regular services too.
Since 2005, the Anglican churches at Dural, Kenthurst, and Arcadia have combined. They now form the re-named parish of Dural District. You will find St. Jude’s Anglican Church Dural at 965 Old Northern Rd. It stands as a testament to faith and community in this region. St. Jude’s Anglican Church Dural continues to serve its community today.