Knox Church, Dunedin facts for kids
Knox Church is a famous building in Dunedin, New Zealand. It's home to Dunedin's second Presbyterian church group. It's also the biggest church building in the city.
You can find it near the university on George Street. It's at the top end of the city center and easy to spot from many places.
History
The First Church Building
In 1858, a group was formed to start a new church. John Gillies, a local leader, was in charge. They wanted to find a minister to help the Presbyterian people in Dunedin. The new church group was created in 1860. It brought together people from First Church and other independent groups.
The first Knox Church opened on May 6, 1861. It was the second Presbyterian church in the area. It was located on the corner of Great King and Frederick Streets. The land was given by John Hyde Harris, who suggested the name "Knox Church." This first building was made of wood. Its first minister was Reverend D. M. Stuart. He arrived from England in January 1861 to start his work.
Planning a New Church
The first church was only meant to be temporary. But then the Central Otago Gold Rush happened. Many more people moved to Dunedin. This meant a bigger, permanent church was needed quickly. So, in 1871, they decided to build a new church. It needed to seat 1,000 people. It also needed space for a choir and a bell tower.
They bought land for the new church on the corner of George and Pitt Streets. They paid £569 for the land and buildings on it.
Church leaders held a competition for the new church design. Seventeen designs were submitted. Robert Lawson won the competition. However, his plans were too expensive. The church had a budget of £5,000, which was later raised to £6,000. But Lawson's design still cost too much.
So, they chose a design by David Ross instead. He also designed the Otago Museum. Ross was hired on August 22, 1879. They set aside £7,200 for the church, seating, and lighting. But Ross and the building committee disagreed about the stone to use. They also argued about hiring an inspector. These arguments caused many problems. Ross's contract ended on January 16, 1873, and he was let go. Ross later sued the church but only won £2 in damages.
After this, the church leaders asked Robert Lawson to take over the project again in 1874.
Building the Church
Construction of the new church began in 1872. The foundation stone was laid on November 25, 1872. This date was exactly 300 years after the death of John Knox, a famous Scottish religious reformer.
The church officially opened on November 5, 1876. The total cost of the building was £18,383. The church finally paid off this debt in 1891.
In June 2008, the church closed for the first time for maintenance. They needed to install a new fire sprinkler system. The church group joined First Church during this time. The building reopened in September 2008 after the work was done. Besides the sprinklers, some windows also needed to be fixed. Details like faces and feet had faded over time and were made clear again.
One notable minister who served here was Rev James Gunn Matheson.
Description
Knox Church was designed by Robert Lawson. It is built in the Gothic style from the 13th century. This style often features pointed arches and tall windows.
The church is made of bluestone from quarries near the Water of Leith. It has Oamaru stone details and a spire. The church's shape is like a Latin cross. The main part, called the nave, is 30 meters long. It is about 22 meters wide. The spire reaches up to 51 meters high. The roof is made of slate.
Unusually for a New Zealand church, it has two pipe organs. One is a large Hill, Norman, & Beard organ. It was put in place in 1931 and fixed up in 1974. The other is a smaller organ in an oak case. It was originally in a church in Christchurch.
The church can seat 900 people.
