Restoring Kaiapoi Church

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31086, 15 June 1966, Page 24

Restoring Kaiapoi Church

A grant of £5OO has been authorised by the Canterbury Regional Committee of the New Zealand Historic Places Trust, towards the cost of restoration work on St. Bartholomew’s Church, Kaiapoi.

A special sub-committee consisting of Mr J. A. Hendry (convener), Dr. R. S. Duff and Mr C. Holdsworth had recommended ’“that externally, the nave, west end and porches are certainly worth preserving, and that the remainder should also be preserved to keep whole the intention of the design.” The church was designed by Messrs Mountfort and Luck and built by Mr Henry Jones, described as “carpenter, cabinetmaker and undertaker,” in 1855. The date of the first service is unknown, but records show a service on Christmas Day of that year. Totara and black pine for the building were supplied by a Mr McKinley from the neighbouring bush. Among the subscribers, who gave a total amount of £325 7s lid, were the Provincial Superintendent, Mr J. E. Fitzgerald, Captain Fuller, the Rev. J. Raven, and the Canterbury Association’s grant of £195. An early account gives the contract price for building the carcase of the church as £ll5, the cartage of 20,000 shingles from the river (presumably the now-named Kaiapoi) to the church 15 shillings, and one and a quarter days of carpenter’s time fitting temporary seats, 13 shillings. Because of erosion on the sandy site in Darnley square, the church, which comprised the present nave, was moved to Cass street in 1860. The transepts, crossing and sanctuary were added to a further design by Messrs Mountfort and Luck and the work was carried out by Robert Powrie, at a cost for restoration and enlarging, of £7OO. The church was reopened in either 1861 or ’62. The recent sub-committee considers that the design of the roof trusses could well be unique for the original architects, although there is a

similar example on a smaller scale in St Anne’s Church, Pleasant Valley, Geraldine. The original exterior is thought interesting and full of pleasing detail, with good proportions and very good shadows thrown by the applied strapwork. The committee felt this portion “is very much better than the extension.” The walling to the extensions is similar to the original but lacks the same character, through less weighty timbers and no strapwork.

The very steep-pitched roof and the whole of the south wall require attention because of lack of spouting and inadequate flashing on the belfry. This may have deteriorated with time, but these deflciences must, over the years, “have had a bad effect on the fabric of the church, especially on the foundations.”

Internally, the building has considerable attraction for the

student, in the steep-pitched roof, graceful bracing, scissors trusses and in the varying degrees of natural lighting in the nave, transepts and sanctuary, the sub-committee reported. The report further stated that the structure appeared to be quite sound in the main aspects, but there was much evidence of leaks and borer. It was recommended that consideration be given to completely refinishing the plastered walls to retain the original intention.

All the timber work has been neglected for many years and requires a thorough cleaning, followed by oiling or varnishing to restore life and colour in the graining. Extensive renovations were also recommended to the sanctuary area to give added richness and obtain more reflected light. Altogether eight recommendations were listed by the sub-committee to restore the

building. A previous architect's estimate of £2600 for mainly vestry extension and internal plastering, painting and furnishings would not be sufficient to “bring the fabric of the building back into good repair,” stated the report, and it was considered that a further sum of at least £2500 or even £3500 would be needed.

The Canterbury regional committee received the report from the sub-committee, and with the grant notification, suggested that the church authorities make further investigations into additional sources of possible finance. The photograph is of

the interior of the church, showing the scissors trusses and steep roof. Since this photograph was taken, the altar background has been altered with the addition of a carved reredos from the chapel of Christchurch College (College House).