St. Stephen's Church, Udhagamandalam

St. Stephen's Church is a historic Church of South India church in Ooty, Tamil Nadu, India. Established during the early development of Ootacamund as a British hill station, it is one of the oldest surviving churches in the Nilgiris and an important example of the town's early colonial-era ecclesiastical architecture. The church and its adjoining historic cemetery preserve a substantial record of 19th-century Ootacamund and the military, administrative and civilian community associated with the hill station.

History

The church dates to the 19th century. Stephen Rumbold Lushington, then Governor of Madras, laid the foundation stone on 23 April 1829. St. Stephen's Church was consecrated by John Matthias Turner, Bishop of Calcutta, on 5 November 1830, and opened for divine service on Easter Sunday, 3 April 1831. It came under the Church of South India in 1947. The architect was John James Underwood, a captain in the Madras Engineers.

Architecture

Timber used in the construction of the church, including its main beam, was obtained from the Lal Bagh Palace at Srirangapatna. The material was transported via the Sigur Ghat. The architect was Captain J. J. Underwood, and the construction cost about Rs 24,000 at the time. The foundation stone was laid in April 1829.

A painting depicting the Last Supper is displayed on the western wall above panelled doors. The church also has stained-glass windows depicting scenes including the crucifixion of Jesus and Mary holding the infant Jesus. Instead of a conventional bell, four hammer-like structures are attached by wires to inverted V-shaped wooden frames in the tower; when operated from below, they produce a musical sound. The interior also includes a pulpit, a raised chancel and a vestry.

Cemetery

A historic cemetery is associated with St. Stephen's Church. The burial ground was in use during the 19th century and was closed in 1881. The government catalogue of inscriptions records the church and cemetery together and includes memorials to military officers, civil servants and other residents of colonial-era Ootacamund.

Among those recorded are Lieutenant-General William Staveley, Commander-in-Chief of the Madras Army; Sir Henry Davison, who served as Chief Justice of both Bombay and Madras; James Wilkinson Breeks, Commissioner of the Nilgiris; William Graham McIvor, superintendent of the Government Cinchona Plantations; and Colonel John Babington of the Royal Artillery. Davison, who died at Ootacamund in 1860, is explicitly recorded as buried beneath his monument, while the memorial to Breeks, who died in 1872, is described as standing upon his grave.

The cemetery continues to be documented by the British Association for Cemeteries in South Asia (BACSA), whose area representative for the Nilgiris periodically reports on its condition; BACSA's cemetery archives are held at the British Library.

Location and access

St. Stephen's Church stands on Club Road, near the Nilgiris district Collector's office, on the road from central Ooty towards Mysore. The nearest railway station is Udagamandalam railway station, which is served by the Nilgiri Mountain Railway connecting Ooty with Mettupalayam. The railway forms part of the UNESCO-listed Mountain Railways of India. The church is also accessible by road from Ooty town centre and the central bus stand.

St. Stephen's Church, Udhagamandalam

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