St John's Church, Wellington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St John's Church |
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St John's Presbyterian Church in 2015
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| 41°17′27.43″S 174°46′24.01″E / 41.2909528°S 174.7733361°E | |
| Location | 166–176 Willis Street, Wellington |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Denomination | Presbyterian |
| History | |
| Dedicated | 11 December 1885 |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Thomas Turnbull |
| Style | Gothic architecture |
| Years built | 1885 |
St John's Church, located on Willis Street in Wellington, New Zealand, is a very important historical building. It is officially recognized by Heritage New Zealand as a Category I heritage building. This means it has special historical or cultural value.
The church was designed by an architect named Thomas Turnbull. It first opened its doors on December 11, 1885. This new church was built to replace an older one that was sadly destroyed by fire in 1884. On March 18, 1982, St John's Church was officially registered as a historic place, with the number 228.
Building St John's Church
The church was constructed using strong native New Zealand timbers. These included kauri, totara, and rimu wood. A builder named James Wilson was in charge of its construction.
When it was first built in 1885, the church was quite large. It could seat 540 people on the main floor. There was also a special gallery area that could hold an extra 240 people.
The Church Bell
A bell was placed high up in the church's spire. People used to say that if the wind was blowing in the right direction, you could hear the bell all the way at Petone beach!
Changes Over Time
Over the years, St John's Church has had some updates. In 1904, some changes were made to the building. Later, in 1953, an architect named Malcolm Bennie designed a new porch. This porch was built as a special memorial to celebrate the church's 100th birthday.
The church celebrated a big milestone in 2003: its 150th anniversary! In 2013, important work was done to make the church stronger against earthquakes. This helps keep the historic building safe for many more years.
