St Stephen's Chapel, Auckland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Stephen's Chapel |
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St Stephen's Chapel in 2018
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| 36°51′1.28″S 174°47′22.37″E / 36.8503556°S 174.7895472°E | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| History | |
| Status | Chapel and churchyard |
| Dedication | Saint Stephen |
| Events | 1857 signing of the Constitution of the United Church of England and Ireland in New Zealand |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Architect(s) | Frederick Thatcher |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Completed | 1857 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Cathedral of the Holy Trinity |
| Diocese | Auckland |
| Province | Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia |
The St Stephen's Chapel is an old and important church building in Judges Bay, Parnell, Auckland, New Zealand. It is a special place for the Anglican Church. The chapel and its churchyard (the land around it) are listed as a heritage site.
History of St Stephen's Chapel
The first chapel on this spot was built in 1844 by an architect named Sampson Kempthorne. Sadly, it fell down in July 1845.
A new chapel was then designed by another architect, Frederick Thatcher. This new St Stephen's Chapel opened in early 1857. It was built for Bishop Selwyn, who was an important leader of the Anglican Church in New Zealand.
This chapel is very special because it was most likely built specifically for a big event. On 13 June 1857, the official rules for the United Church of England and Ireland in New Zealand were signed here. This was a huge step in setting up the church in the country.
The chapel's design is also unique. Most churches built for Bishop Selwyn had a traditional "Latin cruciform plan." This means they were shaped like a cross, with one long arm and three shorter ones. But St Stephen's Chapel has a "Greek Cross" floor plan. This means all four arms of the cross are the same length. This design was chosen to symbolize the new beginning of the church in New Zealand.
Over time, the chapel started to get old and needed repairs. It was fixed up and restored in the late 1920s.
Because of its history and importance, the chapel and its churchyard were officially recognized as a Category I historic place on 1 September 1983. This was done by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust. A Category I listing means it's a place of "special or outstanding historical or cultural heritage significance or value."
People Buried at St Stephen's Chapel
Many important people are buried in the churchyard of St Stephen's Chapel. Here are a few of them:
- Charles Baker (1803 - 1875): He was a missionary, someone who travels to spread their religious beliefs.
- Josiah Firth (1826–1897): He was a successful businessman and also involved in politics.
- James Kemp (1797–1872): Another important missionary.
- Frederick Whitaker (1812 – 1891): He was the premier of New Zealand twice, which is like being the leader of the country's government.
- Reader Wood (1821–1895): He was a politician and also an architect.
- Dorothy England (1927-2024): She was a respected member of the Parnell community.
