All Saints' Church, Dunedin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids All Saints' Church, Dunedin |
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All Saints' Church
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| 45°51′44″S 170°30′51″E / 45.8623°S 170.5141°E | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Churchmanship | Anglo-Catholic |
| History | |
| Status | Church |
| Founded | 11 February 1865 |
| Founder(s) | Bishop Henry Harper |
| Dedication | All Saints |
| Dedicated | 23 July 1865 |
| Consecrated | 21 April 1869 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Architect(s) |
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| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Neo-Gothic |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Dunedin North |
| Diocese | Dunedin |
All Saints' Church is a very old and important church in Dunedin, New Zealand. It's an Anglican church, which is a type of Christian church. The church was started in 1865. It is part of the Dunedin North area in the Diocese of Dunedin.
The church building is so special that it has a Category I listing. This means it is a very important historic place in New Zealand.
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About All Saints' Church
This church is the oldest church in Dunedin that is still used for worship today. All Saints' Church is also the chapel for Selwyn College, Otago. The college was built around the church. Both the college and the church work closely together.
Selwyn College was first built in 1893 to train Anglican priests. But it also welcomed other students from the university. All Saints' Church is located very close to the University of Otago.
Church Design and Style
The main part of the church, called the nave, was designed by William H. Clayton in 1865. Later, in 1873, the side sections (transepts) and the area around the altar (chancel) were added. These parts were designed by William Mason. All Saints' is a great example of gothic revival architecture. This style brings back the look of old Gothic churches.
One cool thing about the church is its polychrome brickwork. This means bricks of different colors are used to create patterns. The bricks came from a local brickworks in Dunedin. The church also uses Oamaru stone, which was one of the first times this stone was used in Dunedin.
In 1969, the church was fixed up. Its foundations, wooden floor, and slate roof were replaced. During this time, a new altar was put in the nave. The altar rails were designed by a famous architect named Ted McCoy.
Amazing Artworks
The church has some really special artworks. There is a large rood (a cross with a figure of Jesus) hanging above the altar area. It was carved by a top sculptor named Frederick George Gurnsey. He also carved the door for the aumbry (a small cupboard for sacred items) and the pulpit (where sermons are given).
Above the pulpit, there is a small statue called a Christus Rex. This was made by the well-known New Zealand sculptor Ria Bancroft. In 2017, a set of ceramic sculptures was added. These show the Scriptural Way of the Cross and were made by Kirk Nicholls.
In 2019, people started raising money for a new stained glass window. This window will remember the Ross Sea party and honor Rev. Arnold Spencer-Smith.
Church History
All Saints' parish was set up even before the Diocese of Dunedin was officially formed in 1869. For its first few years, it was part of the Diocese of Christchurch. The land for the church was given by James Allen Senior.
The first stone for the church was laid on February 11, 1865. This was done by Henry Harper, who was the first Bishop of Christchurch. The church was built quickly, at least the main part and the entrance. It opened on July 23, 1865. The church was officially made sacred on April 21, 1869.
In 1886, the church thought about becoming the main cathedral for the Diocese. The Bishop, Samuel Tarratt Nevill, offered money to help with this. The church members agreed, but the plan didn't work out due to legal reasons.
Past Leaders of the Church
The church has had many vicars (leaders) over the years. Here are some of them:
- Rev. E.H. Granger (1865–1872)
- Rev. R.L. Stanford (1872–1879)
- Very Rev Alfred R. Fitchett (1879–1928)
- Fr. William Hardy-Johnson (1928–1935)
- Ven. L.G. Whitehead (1935–1948)
- Fr. Charles Harrison (1948–1964)
- Rev. Canon Arthur Philip Atkinson Gaze (1964–1980)
- Rev. Dr. John Irwin (1980–1983)
- Fr. David Best (1983–1997)
- Rev. Canon Erice Fairbrother (1999–2002)
- Fr. Tim Hurd (2002–2009)
- Rev. Canon Michael Wallace (2010–present)
Famous People Connected to the Church
Many notable people have been part of the All Saints' Church community:
- James Allen, a politician who helped manage the church.
- George Bell, a newspaper editor who also served as a church manager.
- George Eliot Elliott, who helped sign the Te Tiriti o Waitangi/Treaty of Waitangi. He also saved it from a fire in 1841.
- Frances and William Matthew Hodgkins, who were both artists.
- Choie Sew Hoy and Eliza Prescott, who lived near the church.
- William Larnach, who built Larnach Castle.
- Alois Duffus Lubecki, a Polish Prince who helped start the church. He gave money for scholarships at universities.
- Dr. Richardson, who has a building at the University Of Otago named after him.
- Shelley Griffiths, a legal expert at the University of Otago. She leads the group that supports All Saints' Church.
Worship Style
Worship at All Saints' follows the Anglo-Catholic tradition. This means it uses some older, more formal ways of worship. For example, incense and bells are used during special services called High Mass.
Church Music
The first organ at All Saints' was given by the first vicar in 1871. This organ later moved to another church. The second organ was used from 1874 to 1905.
The third and current organ was built in 1877 by Bevington & Sons, a company from London. Bevington organs are known for being very well-made. Two other famous Bevington organs are in Dublin and London.
In 1905, this Bevington organ was moved to All Saints' Church. It was fixed up in 1969. All Saints' organ is one of only three Bevington organs in New Zealand.
All Saints' Hall
All Saints' Hall was originally built as a different church in 1869. It was called the Cumberland St Wesleyan Methodist Chapel. The timber for the hall came from an even older church.
The front windows of the hall were designed by a famous Dunedin architect, Basil Bramston Hooper, in 1911. The University of Otago started a childcare center in the hall in 1968. Also, the Araiteuru Maori club used the hall before their own meeting place was built.
