Tuesday 20 January 2015

St Alban's Anglican Church - Whakapirau




A couple of years ago I drove out to Whakapirau (a maori place name pronounced Whok-a-pee-row) and took some photos of the St Alban's Anglican Church. This historic building was first built from Kauri around the area in 1896 thanks to the local community fundraising and from what Heritage.org.nz says the land underneath it was originally part of a block that was tapu (sacred or forbidden) by koiwi after the battle of Marohemo in 1825. The tapu was then lifted from the land by a gathering of koiwi and the bones were used to fertilise local vineyards in the area. more information here.

I would love to get back out here and take some more photos of the cemetery nearby which is also historical. Beautiful place with a beach 5 minutes down the road and a small settlement of houses.

More our world Tuesdays here :-)

10 comments:

mick said...

Great photos - I especially like the colors of the church against the bright blue sky. It's good to see some of the early buildings kept so well.

Fun60 said...

Pleased to see that the land has been used for another sacred use.

eileeninmd said...

What a pretty white church with the red roof. And it is nice that the land is being put to a good use.. Thanks for sharing your world.. Have a happy week!

EG CameraGirl said...

Interesting history. I had to look up Kauri as I had never heard of it before. Amazing what you can learn while blogging!

Unknown said...

Nice capture of the church against that glorious blue sky. Friends of mine were married in that church.

Buckeroomama said...

There is something about cemeteries and graveyards and churches that hauntingly beautiful.

Amy said...

yes you're right, cemeteries aren't scary at all to me, they are full of history :-)

Anonymous said...

What a charming church!

Mike@Bit About Britain said...

Looks gorgeous. Grey skies and frosty here - I'm smelling that summer-grass-smell!

Al said...

That's a very pretty place.

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