Old St Paul's, Wellington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Old St Paul's |
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Main entrance to Old St Paul's
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| 41°16′35″S 174°46′49″E / 41.276262°S 174.780394°E | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Previous denomination | Anglican |
| History | |
| Status |
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| Founded | 21 August 1865 |
| Founder(s) | Governor George Grey |
| Dedication | Paul the Apostle |
| Consecrated | 6 June 1866 by Bishop Charles Abraham |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Sold |
| Architect(s) | Rev'd Frederick Thatcher |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Years built | 1865–1866 |
Old St Paul's is a very old and important building in Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand. It used to be called St Paul's Pro-Cathedral. Today, it is a famous tourist attraction and a popular place for weddings and other events.
For many years, from 1866 to 1964, this building was a parish church for the Thorndon area. It also served as a "pro-cathedral," which means a temporary main church for the Anglican Church in Wellington. Old St Paul's is a great example of 19th-century Gothic Revival architecture. This style was changed to fit the materials and conditions available in New Zealand at the time. You can find it at 34 Mulgrave Street, very close to the New Zealand Parliament Buildings.
Contents
Building History
The story of Old St Paul's began in 1845. George Selwyn, who was the first Bishop of New Zealand, bought some of the land where the church now stands. Later, in 1853, George Edward Grey, who was the Governor of New Zealand, added more land to the site. At that time, the land was on a high cliff overlooking Wellington harbour.
People agreed to build the church in 1861. The Reverend Frederick Thatcher, who was the vicar (church leader) of St Paul's, Thorndon, was chosen to be the architect.
Construction and Early Changes
Governor Grey laid the first stone of the church on 21 August 1865. John McLaggan and eight carpenters built the church. Charles John Abraham, who was a Bishop, officially opened the church on 6 June 1866. This is called "consecrating" a church.
Soon after it opened, people noticed the church was not very stable in strong winds. So, in 1868, a part called the south transept was added. This was designed by Christian Julius Toxward. More parts were added later to make the church bigger and stronger. These included the north transept and an extension to the north aisle in 1874, also by Toxward.
In 1876, the chancel (the area around the altar) was moved five metres to the east. Minor north and south transepts were also added, designed by George Fannin. A vestry (a room for clergy) was added in 1882, probably designed by Toxward. In 1891, the baptistry (where baptisms happen) was extended by Frederick de Jersey Clere. The original wooden roof was changed to corrugated iron in 1895, and then to Welsh slates in 1924.
Saving Old St Paul's
In 1964, the Anglican Church in Wellington moved its main church to the new St Paul's Cathedral nearby. There was a big effort to stop Old St Paul's from being pulled down. Luckily, the New Zealand Government bought the building in 1967. The New Zealand Ministry of Works then carefully fixed it up, with Peter Sheppard guiding the work.
Church Design
Old St Paul's is built in a Gothic Revival style. This means it looks like older European churches, but it uses local materials. It is made from special New Zealand native timbers. The church also has beautiful stained-glass windows that let colourful light into the building.
The inside of the church looks like the upside-down hull (bottom part) of an old ship. You can see the curved wooden beams, called trusses, made from rimu wood. The roof is lined with kauri wood. These are both native New Zealand trees.
Photo gallery
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What Happens There Now
Today, Old St Paul's is looked after by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga. Even though it is no longer a regular church, it is still considered a holy place. It is a very popular spot for weddings, funerals, and other special services. In 2016, a special service called "evensong" was held there to celebrate 150 years since it was consecrated.
Inside the main part of the church, called the nave, you can see flags. These include flags from the Royal Navy, the New Zealand Merchant Navy, and the United States Marine Corps. The U.S. Marines were based in Wellington during World War II. The church still has strong connections with the New Zealand Defence Force.
Many walls and columns in Old St Paul's have special plaques. These plaques remember people who fought and died in World War I. There is also a plaque for John Beaglehole, a historian from Wellington. He is famous for writing about the explorer James Cook. John Beaglehole also helped a lot to save Old St Paul's from being torn down.
Old St Paul's was closed for a while from May 2019 to July 2020. This was so that important seismic strengthening work could be done. This work helps the building be safer during earthquakes.
Images for kids
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Mulgrave Street in 1866, with Old St Paul's on the right
