Stow Memorial Church: a hidden pet

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Stow Memorial Church was built between 1865-1867 as a memorial to Reverend T.Q. Stow. While he was not directly linked to this church, Stow played a big part in establishing Congregationalism in South Australia.

Robert George Thomas won a competition to design the church and construction began in 1867. The church was completed the following year.

The building is in an early English Gothic style and the front porch includes detailed stone carvings. Stonemason Samuel Peters, who was a second generation mason from Liverpool, was sponsored out to Sydney by his brother to create the carvings which feature fruits and flowers.

One carving stands out as unusual for Australia. Robert George Thomas had brought a pet squirrel with him from England. He suggested that Peters include a medieval gargoyle squirrel in the building's carvings. You can see the squirrel on the church's central pillar.

Today the church is known as the Pilgrim Uniting Church.