· 3 -
1996 heritage programme gets off to good start
St John's Cathedral, the oldest surviving Western ecclesiastical building in Hong Kong, will be declared a historical building under the protection of the Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance. A notice to this effect will be published in the Government Gazette on Friday (January 5).
The declaration of the cathedral brings the total number of gazetted monuments in Hong Kong to 60. These comprise eight rock carvings, one inscription, four Chinese fortifications, four archaeological sites, 14 traditional Chinese buildings, two villages, 26 western buildings, and one flight of steps.
St John's Cathedral is in the shape of a cruciform with a central nave and galleries. The style of the building was mainly adapted from the 13th Century Early English and Decorated Gothic style. There are a number of other historically interesting items within the compound, such as a memorial tablet on the north transept, a tombstone and a memorial cross in the precinct and so on.
The Dean of the cathedral, the Very Reverend C J Phillips, said he was pleased that the cathedral would be protected and recognised for its historical value and contribution to Hong Kong. He also appreciated being able to draw on the expertise of the Antiquities and Monuments Office (AMO) and the Architectural Services Department in maintaining the building's historical features in good order.
The Chairman of the Antiquities Advisory Board (AAB), Mr David Lung, today (Wednesday) thanked the cathedral authorities for their co-operation and interest in heritage preservation, adding that he was pleased to see the building could be declared a monument.
"This is a major historical building and landmark and its declaration also brings the total number of gazetted monuments to 60, a very auspicious figure for the Chinese," he said.
"The board and the AMO of the Recreation and Culture Branch have been working hard over the last year for the cause of preserving significant elements of our heritage.
"We were rewarded with success in declaring eight historical buildings in 1995, more than in any previous year, and we will continue our efforts in the year to come. The declaration of St John's Cathedral so early on has got us off to a very good start," he added.