All Saints' Church, Howick facts for kids
Quick facts for kids All Saints’ Church, Howick |
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All Saints’ Church
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| 36°53′44″S 174°56′02″E / 36.89559°S 174.933822°E | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Frederick Thatcher |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Tudor Revival |
| Completed | November 1847 |
| Construction cost | NZ£147/3/9 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Howick |
| Diocese | Auckland |
| Province | Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia |
All Saints’ Church is a very old and important church in Howick, Auckland. It is an Anglican church built in the Tudor Revival style. This means it looks like buildings from the Tudor period in England.
The church was designed by Frederick Thatcher and finished in 1847. Bishop George Augustus Selwyn chose the perfect spot for it. All Saints’ Church is one of the oldest churches in Auckland. It is also a special historic building, listed as a Category 1 place by Heritage New Zealand.
Contents
What Does All Saints’ Church Look Like?
All Saints’ Church is made of timber, which is wood. It has a unique design because it has a special extra section called a duplicated aisle. It also has both a belfry and a tower. A belfry is a bell tower, and a tower is a tall part of the building.
The church sits on a high spot. From there, you can see beautiful views of the Hauraki Gulf.
The Story of All Saints’ Church
How Howick Started
In 1847, the town of Howick was created. It was a settlement for a group of soldiers called fencibles. These soldiers were retired but could be called back to duty if needed. They were given land to live on.
Building the Church
Before the fencibles arrived, the government gave a piece of land to the Anglican Church. Bishop Selwyn personally chose this land for the church. He asked Frederick Thatcher to design the building.
The church was built in a special way. It was made in parts at St John's College, which was nearby. This is called a prefabricated construction. Once the parts were ready, they were moved by boat. Then, people carried them by hand to the church site. There, all the pieces were put together.
All Saints’ Church was the very first building finished in Howick. It was ready even before the fencible soldiers moved into the settlement.
How the Church Changed Over Time
When it was first built, the church had a shape like a cross. This is called a cruciform plan. It had a main area called a nave, side sections called transepts, and a part for the altar called a chancel. It also had a tower.
By 1862, the church was too small for everyone. So, an extra section, called an aisle, was added to make it bigger. In 1893, a separate belfry was built next to the existing tower. These changes made All Saints’ Church look very unique.
All Saints’ Church is the only church left that was built using this prefabricated method by Bishop Selwyn's team. These churches are often called "Selwyn churches."
