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St Mary's Catholic Church


In Hokitika is this beauty of a church named St Mary's Catholic Church, why it's so grand and ornate who knows? This caught our eyes last week on the first day of our holiday. In 1912 the parish building committee agreed to call for tenders for a new church so a Greymouth architect named John Thomas Watson prepared a concept design in Roman or neoclassical architecture.

Alfred Luttrell won the tender and although he was guided by Watson's work, he introduced significantly different aspects. The previous 1866 church was demolished in February 1914 and Bishop John Grimes laid the foundation stone a month later. Owing to the outbreak of WW1 and funding difficulties it wasn't until 1920-21 that the portico and tower were added. The church was built of double brick but in 1927-28 the plaster was finally applied and the building achieved it's final appearance.

In 2004 the church was registered with the Historical Places Trust but unfortunately following a structural assesment triggered by the Christchurch earthquakes in 2011 the church was closed to the public in 2012. 

Linking up with Our World Tuesday, Through my lens, Tuesday Treasures, Travel Tuesday, My corner of the world and Wordless Wednesday.

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Comments

Fun60 said…
It looks a beautiful church but sad that the earthquake has damaged its structure.
18 January 2022 at 06:04
Yogi♪♪♪ said…
That's a beautiful building.
18 January 2022 at 09:04
Bill said…
It's a beautiful church. At I first thought it was an administration building of some kind. I remembering hearing about the earthquake back then. I wonder if they will fix the structural issues so people can go back in.
18 January 2022 at 09:19
gz said…
That is beautiful
18 January 2022 at 09:58
Carol @Comfort Spring Station said…
a beautiful structure and it is sad indeed that it is closed
18 January 2022 at 11:28
magiceye said…
Beautiful church indeed.
18 January 2022 at 13:37
Veronica Lee said…
It certainly is a most beautiful church.

Happy Tuesday, Amy!
18 January 2022 at 23:10
b.c. said…
it reminds me of some of the old mission churches out in california especially with the tropical greenery, wishing we had some of that right now :))
19 January 2022 at 00:51
Tom said…
...I have seen many lovely small churches in New Zealand, but this larger one is a beauty. Thanks Amy for sharing, take care.
19 January 2022 at 02:29
NCSue said…
It's a beautiful church.
Thank you for sharing at https://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2022/01/seen-on-blue-ridge-parkway.html
19 January 2022 at 02:41
Sharon said…
Wow, what an interesting church. I like it. Too bad it has closed to the public. Maybe they will fix the issues so it can open again.
19 January 2022 at 03:40
Tigger's Mum said…
Possibly in the era that it was commissioned, Greymouth was still wealthy on gold and coal.
19 January 2022 at 03:43
Tigger's Mum said…
Sorry - I meant Hokitika, confused myself with the home of the architect
19 January 2022 at 03:44
Sallie (FullTime-Life) said…
It's a lovely church and I'm glad they were able to save the historical building even if it is iclosed for safety reasons.
19 January 2022 at 09:11
Lydia C. Lee said…
How lovely! #Traveltuesday
19 January 2022 at 09:59
Shiju Sugunan said…
A beautiful structure!
20 January 2022 at 19:29
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