Church of St John the Evangelist, Westport facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St John the Evangelist |
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| St John's Anglican Church | |
St John the Evangelist in 2020
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| 41°45′10″S 171°36′5″E / 41.75278°S 171.60139°E | |
| Location | 67 Queen Street, Westport |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Dedication | John the Evangelist |
| Consecrated | 1924 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Completed | 1924 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Timber |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Buller |
| Deanery | Mawhera |
| Diocese | Nelson |
| Province | Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia |
The Church of St John the Evangelist, also called St John's Anglican Church, is a historic wooden church in Westport. This town is on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island.
The church was finished in 1924. Because of its history and special design, it was listed as a Category 2 heritage building by Heritage New Zealand in 1989. This means it is officially recognized as an important part of the country's history.
Contents
History of the Church
The First Church
The church you see today wasn't the first one on this spot. The original Church of St John the Evangelist was built much earlier and officially opened on 28 August 1869.
By 1911, this first church was too small for the growing community. People decided they needed a new, larger building.
A Change of Plans
The first idea was to build a new church from brick. A famous church architect named Frederick de Jersey Clere even drew up the plans. However, these plans were stopped when World War I began.
The bricks that had been bought for the new building were eventually sold in 1923. A new, simpler plan was made to build the church that stands in Westport today.
Design and Construction
The current Church of St John the Evangelist was built in 1924, right where the old one used to be. It is made of timber and covered with weatherboard siding.
The church was designed in a style called Gothic Revival. This style was popular for churches and tried to copy the look of grand, old cathedrals from the Middle Ages in Europe. St John's is a simpler version of this style.
Some of its key features include:
- A very steep, pointed roof, known as a gable roof.
- Tall, narrow windows with pointed arches, called lancet windows. You can see them by themselves or in groups of three.
- Outside supports called buttresses. These are thick pillars built against the walls to help keep them strong and stable.
A Special Heritage Site
On 21 September 1989, the church was officially named a category 2 historic place. This title is given by Heritage New Zealand to places that are an important part of the nation's history and culture.
The building is still an active church. It is one of three churches that make up the Buller Anglican Parish, serving the local community.
See also
- Church of St. Luke the Evangelist, Zagreb
