St Paul's Church, Christchurch

St Paul's Church was a heritage-listed former Presbyterian church in Cashel Street, Christchurch. Built in 1877, the church was registered by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust as a Category I heritage building. Following the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake, the building was removed from the heritage list and demolished.

St Paul's Church
St Paul's Trinity Pacific Presbyterian Church
St Paul's Church in 2007, prior to its demolition
Map
43°32′0.2″S 172°38′34.6″E / 43.533389°S 172.642944°E / -43.533389; 172.642944
AddressCorner Cashel and Madras Streets, Christchurch
CountryNew Zealand
Previous denominationPresbyterian
History
StatusChurch (former)
Founded1864
Events2011 Christchurch earthquake
Architecture
Functional statusAbandoned and demolished
Architect(s)Samuel Farr
Architectural typeChurch (former)
Completed1877
ClosedFebruary 2011
Demolished2011
Official nameSt Paul's Church, Christchurch
TypeCategory I
Designated2 April 1985
DelistedSeptember 2011
Reference no.305
TypeHeritage building

History

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St Paul's Presbyterian Church in 1885, with its high tower that was lowered in 1962

St Paul's was built in 1877 as a Presbyterian church on the corner of Cashel and Madras Streets in the Christchurch Central City. It replaced an earlier church on the corner of Lichfield and Madras Streets built by a breakaway congregation from St Andrew's Church.[1] Both church buildings were designed by Samuel Farr;[2] the later one commissioned by the reverend John Elmslie.[3] In 1969, St Paul's merged with the Trinity-Pacific Congregational Church taking on a new name – St Paul's Trinity Pacific Presbyterian Church.[1] Rev. Leonard Jones and Kenape Faletoese lead the new multicultural church under its new format. The Palangi membership of the church declined over the next three decades and by the time of its destruction in the February 2011 earthquake, the church membership was mostly of Samoan heritage.[citation needed]

On 5 August 2009, the church was the victim of an arson attack that caused considerable damage.[4] The building was restored, but suffered damage in the 2010 Canterbury earthquake, and partially collapsed in the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake. By June 2011, the church had been demolished.[5]

Heritage listing

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St Paul's was listed as a Category I heritage building by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust on 2 April 1985 with registration number 305.[1] The building was removed from the register during 2011.[6]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "St Paul's-Trinity-Pacific Church". New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Kōrero. Heritage New Zealand. Retrieved 6 August 2011.
  2. ^ "The Architectural Heritage of Christchurch: 1. The Normal School" (PDF). Christchurch: Christchurch City Council Town Planning Division. October 1986. p. 5. Retrieved 14 June 2012.
  3. ^ Macdonald, George. "John Elmslie". Macdonald Dictionary. Canterbury Museum. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  4. ^ "Church fire deliberately lit". The Press. 8 September 2009. Retrieved 5 August 2011.
  5. ^ Heather, Ben (8 June 2011). "Life ebbing for heritage buildings". The Press. Retrieved 5 August 2011.
  6. ^ "Lost heritage". New Zealand Historic Places Trust. 2011. Retrieved 7 September 2011.