Durham Street Methodist Church
Encyclopedia
The Durham Street Methodist Church in Christchurch
was the earliest stone church constructed in the Canterbury Region of New Zealand. It is registered as a "Historic Place – Category I" by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust
.
The church was severely damaged by an earthquake on 4 September 2010
, but collapsed during a following earthquake on 22 February 2011, killing three workers who were removing the organ.
settlement. The congregation of Methodists
was small, but active. The first Methodist Chapel, which was located in High Street, was sold in 1864.
An architectural competition was held for a new church in Durham Street. The winning architectural firm, Crouch and Wilson
from Melbourne, had entered a design in the Gothic Revival style
in the 1863 competition. Local architect Samuel Farr, who had come to Akaroa
in early 1850, came second in the competition and was engaged to for the construction supervision. In early 1864, the foundation stone
was laid by Samuel Bealey
who at the time was Superintendent of Canterbury Province. The building was officially opened on Christmas Day 1864 and Canterbury thus had its first church built of permanent materials. The stone used includes Halswell
and Port Hills
basalt
and Charteris Bay sandstone
. A gallery was added to the building in 1869 and a schoolroom was built next to it in 1875. A parsonage
was subsequently erected facing Chester Street. In 1951 a Memorial Chapel was added, dedicated to those killed in both World Wars.
On 2 April 1985, the church building was registered with the registration number 3099 by the Historic Places Trust as a Category I heritage building. An atrium
was built in 1987 to connect the church to the Aldersgate building next door which houses offices for both the church and the Christian Methodist Mission.
caused a spire in the south-eastern corner to tilt, leading to its subsequent removal. The church and hall were severely damaged in the September 2010 earthquake
and the aftershock the following Boxing Day
. The building collapsed the following February in the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake while a team of eight workers from the South Island Organ Company
were dismantling the organ, killing three of them.
Methodist layout of a meeting hall surrounded by galleries and was designed to accommodate 1200 people. The cedar pulpit
, centred on the back wall, was accessed by a double staircase. The organ
, installed in 1902, replaced an earlier hand pumped organ which had been installed in 1874. The replacement organ was built by Ingram & Co. in Hereford
, United Kingdom and was valued at $1 million prior to the church's destruction. Four sets of memorial stained glass
windows were installed at different times.
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
was the earliest stone church constructed in the Canterbury Region of New Zealand. It is registered as a "Historic Place – Category I" by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust
New Zealand Historic Places Trust
The New Zealand Historic Places Trust is a non-profit trust that advocates for the protection of ancestral sites and heritage buildings in New Zealand...
.
The church was severely damaged by an earthquake on 4 September 2010
2010 Canterbury earthquake
The 2010 Canterbury earthquake was a 7.1 magnitude earthquake, which struck the South Island of New Zealand at 4:35 am on local time ....
, but collapsed during a following earthquake on 22 February 2011, killing three workers who were removing the organ.
History
Christchurch was mainly an AnglicanAnglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
settlement. The congregation of Methodists
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
was small, but active. The first Methodist Chapel, which was located in High Street, was sold in 1864.
An architectural competition was held for a new church in Durham Street. The winning architectural firm, Crouch and Wilson
Crouch and Wilson
Crouch and Wilson was an architectural practice based in Melbourne, Australia in the late nineneenth century. The partnership, between Tasmanian-born Thomas Crouch and recently-arrived Londoner Ralph Wilson, commenced in 1857 in Elizabeth Street....
from Melbourne, had entered a design in the Gothic Revival style
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
in the 1863 competition. Local architect Samuel Farr, who had come to Akaroa
Akaroa
Akaroa is a village on Banks Peninsula in the Canterbury region of the South Island of New Zealand, situated within a harbour of the same name—the name Akaroa is Kāi Tahu Māori for 'Long Harbour'.- Overview :...
in early 1850, came second in the competition and was engaged to for the construction supervision. In early 1864, the foundation stone
Cornerstone
The cornerstone concept is derived from the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation, important since all other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure.Over time a cornerstone became a ceremonial masonry stone, or...
was laid by Samuel Bealey
Samuel Bealey
Samuel Bealey was a 19th century Canterbury, New Zealand politician.He came out to Canterbury in 1851, a pastoralist with capital to invest in farming. He married Rose Ann, daughter of Archdeacon Paul in 1852. Having made money, he returned to England, in 1867 and died there...
who at the time was Superintendent of Canterbury Province. The building was officially opened on Christmas Day 1864 and Canterbury thus had its first church built of permanent materials. The stone used includes Halswell
Halswell
Halswell is a satellite town of Christchurch, New Zealand, located in open country nine kilometres southwest of the city centre on State Highway 75...
and Port Hills
Port Hills
The Port Hills form the northern rim of the ancient Lyttelton volcano, separating the port of Lyttelton from the city of Christchurch in Canterbury, New Zealand...
basalt
Basalt
Basalt is a common extrusive volcanic rock. It is usually grey to black and fine-grained due to rapid cooling of lava at the surface of a planet. It may be porphyritic containing larger crystals in a fine matrix, or vesicular, or frothy scoria. Unweathered basalt is black or grey...
and Charteris Bay sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
. A gallery was added to the building in 1869 and a schoolroom was built next to it in 1875. A parsonage
Rectory
A rectory is the residence, or former residence, of a rector, most often a Christian cleric, but in some cases an academic rector or other person with that title...
was subsequently erected facing Chester Street. In 1951 a Memorial Chapel was added, dedicated to those killed in both World Wars.
On 2 April 1985, the church building was registered with the registration number 3099 by the Historic Places Trust as a Category I heritage building. An atrium
Atrium (architecture)
In modern architecture, an atrium is a large open space, often several stories high and having a glazed roof and/or large windows, often situated within a larger multistory building and often located immediately beyond the main entrance doors...
was built in 1987 to connect the church to the Aldersgate building next door which houses offices for both the church and the Christian Methodist Mission.
Earthquakes
The 1888 North Canterbury earthquake1888 North Canterbury earthquake
The 1888 North Canterbury earthquake is the name associated with a severe earthquake which occurred at 4.10 a.m on 1 September 1888 following a sequence of foreshocks that started the previous evening, and whose epicentre was in the North Canterbury region of the South Island of New Zealand.In...
caused a spire in the south-eastern corner to tilt, leading to its subsequent removal. The church and hall were severely damaged in the September 2010 earthquake
2010 Canterbury earthquake
The 2010 Canterbury earthquake was a 7.1 magnitude earthquake, which struck the South Island of New Zealand at 4:35 am on local time ....
and the aftershock the following Boxing Day
Boxing Day
Boxing Day is a bank or public holiday that occurs on 26 December, or the first or second weekday after Christmas Day, depending on national or regional laws. It is observed in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and some other Commonwealth nations. In Ireland, it is recognized as...
. The building collapsed the following February in the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake while a team of eight workers from the South Island Organ Company
South Island Organ Company
The South Island Organ Company is a manufacturer of pipe organs in Timaru, New Zealand. The company, in business since 1968, has manufactured and restored over 300 pipe organs throughout New Zealand, Australia and Oceania.-Founders:...
were dismantling the organ, killing three of them.
Interior
The interior plan reflected the standard Victorian eraVictorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
Methodist layout of a meeting hall surrounded by galleries and was designed to accommodate 1200 people. The cedar pulpit
Pulpit
Pulpit is a speakers' stand in a church. In many Christian churches, there are two speakers' stands at the front of the church. Typically, the one on the left is called the pulpit...
, centred on the back wall, was accessed by a double staircase. The organ
Pipe organ
The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air through pipes selected via a keyboard. Because each organ pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ranks, each of which has a common timbre and volume throughout the keyboard compass...
, installed in 1902, replaced an earlier hand pumped organ which had been installed in 1874. The replacement organ was built by Ingram & Co. in Hereford
Hereford
Hereford is a cathedral city, civil parish and county town of Herefordshire, England. It lies on the River Wye, approximately east of the border with Wales, southwest of Worcester, and northwest of Gloucester...
, United Kingdom and was valued at $1 million prior to the church's destruction. Four sets of memorial stained glass
Stained glass
The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings...
windows were installed at different times.