Erskine College was a former Catholic girls' boarding school in Island Bay, Wellington, New Zealand, and the subject of a campaign to protect its historic buildings (the Chapel of the Sacred Heart and the Main Block Convent). It was largely demolished in 2018 to build housing, but the chapel was restored and later reopened.
| Erskine College | |
|---|---|
 Erskine College building, Wellington | |
 | |
| Former names | Convent of the Sacred Heart at Island Bay |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | French Gothic and Edwardian collegiate architecture |
| Location | Corner Avon Street and Melbourne Road, Island Bay, Wellington, New Zealand |
| Coordinates | 41°20′00″S 174°46′38″E / 41.333434°S 174.777358°E |
| Completed | 1906 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | John Sydney Swan |
| Designated | 13-Aug-2009 |
| Reference no. | 7795 |
History
editThe Convent of the Sacred Heart (as it was initially known) was founded by nuns from the Society of the Sacred Heart (Sacré Coeur), who came to New Zealand at the invitation of Archbishop Redwood.[1]
The four-storey Gothic Revival brick and reinforced concrete convent building was designed by architect John Sydney Swan and built between 1904 and 1906.[1] Teaching of pupils started in 1907. More buildings were added as the school roll increased. The interior of the Chapel of the Sacred Heart, also designed by Swan and built in 1929-30, is regarded as one of the finest examples of a Gothic Revival interior in New Zealand.[2]
The school's name was changed to Erskine College in the late 1960s to avoid confusion with Sacred Heart College in Lower Hutt. It was named after Mother Janet Erskine Stuart, the fifth Superior General of the Society of the Sacred Heart.[1]
The buildings served as a Catholic girls' boarding school until its closure in 1985. By that time, nearly 3000 girls had been educated at the college.[1]
Peter Jackson's 1996 film The Frighteners used Erskine College as one of its locations.[3]
An arts school, The Learning Connexion, occupied Erskine College from 1996 to until 2009.[3][4]
Historic significance and campaign
editThe buildings and grounds were classified as a "Category I" ("places of special or outstanding historical or cultural heritage significance or value") historic place by Heritage New Zealand.[1]
The Save Erskine College Trust was formed to protect the site in 1992, the first non-government heritage protection authority in New Zealand.[1]
The college buildings, with the exception of the chapel, were controversially demolished by its owners The Wellington Company in 2018, to make way for 96 townhouses.[5][6] Award-winning CoLab Architecture used the French-Gothic style of the original college and chapel as inspiration for the new development.[7] The chapel was restored and reopened in 2023.[8]
Old Girls
edit- Margaret Mary Barry
- Dame Luamanuvao Winifred "Winnie" Alexandra Laban
- Piera McArthur
- Ginette McDonald
- Belinda Cordwell
References
edit- ^ a b c d e "Erskine College (Former)". New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Kōrero. Heritage New Zealand. Retrieved 21 December 2009.
- ^ "Erskine College Main Building and Chapel of the Sacred Heart – Wellington Heritage – Absolutely Positively Wellington City Council Me Heke Ki Poneke". wellingtoncityheritage.org.nz. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
- ^ a b "Erskine College Main Building and Chapel of the Sacred Heart – Wellington Heritage – Absolutely Positively Wellington City Council Me Heke Ki Poneke". Wellington City Heritage. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
- ^ "Memories, a proposal and grand plans". The Learning Connexion. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
- ^ "Erskine College demolition underway as massive development begins". Stuff. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
- ^ "Wellington.scoop.co.nz » Farewell to a heritage building". Retrieved 7 January 2019.
- ^ "Erskine Housing Development". homesteadconstruction.co.nz. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
- ^ Norman, Cushla (27 October 2023). "Wellington's Erskine Chapel restored after decades of disrepair". No. One News. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
External links
edit
Media related to Erskine College, Wellington at Wikimedia Commons
- Erskine College's main block on Wellington City Councils Heritage List
- Erskine College chapel will finally be strengthened
- Erskine College's Chapel of the Sacred Heart on Wellington City Councils Heritage List
- Erskine College Chapel, plan by John Swan
- video about Erskine College on YouTube
- Erskine College Conservation Plan 2015