ST MARY’S, MERIVALE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17351, 16 May 1924, Page 10

ST MARY’S, MERIVALE.

HANDSOME STRUCTURE PROPOSED. The plans of the proposed new church at St Mary s, Merivale, provide for ;i handsome stone building on the vacant section facing Church Lane between the present church and the brick schoolroom. Mr E. R. Wilson, of Invercargill, who numbers among bis commissions some of the most notable of recent churches in New Zealand, is the architect. Although no definite date lias yet been fixed, it is hoped that the ceremony oi layfiig the foundation stone of the new church will take place iu October. The erection of tho building is expected to occupy two years. Jn considering proposals for the new hnilrling. the aim of the vestry has been to provide “a homely church that will inspire people and that will hist for centuries. ’ About £15,000 is the amount that tho vestry proposes to spend on the structure, but tho plans submitted by Mr Wilson provide for a. building costing more than that amount. These plans are to be considered at an early meeting of the vestry when modifications will probably be decided upon. V sum of about £6OOO is already in hand or promised, and the vestry has decided not to make a start with the building until the sum reaches £lO.000. It is expected that that objective will be reached by October, and that considerable additional amounts will be received while the church is in course of erection. LOCAL STONE TO BE USED. No brick will be used in the new church, which will bo built of local rubble. Inside there will be panelling throughout, with plaster higher up. The floors will be of &ood, and ordinary seats—-not chairs-—will be provided. The main entrance will be on the northern side, close lo the lane. The doors there will open into a vestibule 14ft 6in by 10ft Gin. Provision has been made for a handsome tower above the vestibule, about 100 ft high. The length over all will be 117 ft 6in, and the width about 64ft. The roof will bo about 40ft high at iis apex. There will be a second entrance on the northern side, near the eastern end, and close to it will bo the pulpit facing the whole length of the nave. In that part also, there will Ik* the organ chamber, 16ft by 18ft, the choir stalls 21ft wide, and the chancel, with vestries on the northern side for the choir and clergy. Seating accommodation will be provided for about 450 persons in tho nave and twenty-eight in tho choir. PARISHIONER’S GENEROSITY. An organ, to cost about £2500, has been ordered from England. It is the gift of one of the parishioners w ho has expressed a desire to remain anonymous. Through his generosity, the church, when opened, will possess probably tho finest organ to be found in any parish church in the Dominion. The organ will be specially tested by the organist of Westminster Abbey before being sent out to New Zealand. All the stained glass windows and memorial tablets in the old church will be transferred to the new building. The carving at the ends of the pews, which was executed by the late Archdeacon Gossett while he was at St Mary’s, will be worked into the new pulpit and altar rails, so as to preserve it during the lifetime of the new church. Archdeacon Gossett spent a considerable amount of time on the carving, which is a noteworthy feature of the church. Among the churches built bv Air Wilson are St John’s, Invercargill, and a now church at Kelburn, Wellington, both of which are very fine structures. He is also the architect for the large new Anglican church to bo erected in Wanganui shortly. DEPARTURE FROM TRADITION. A departure from tradition will be made, so far as Christchurch is concerned, in regard to the orientation of the church. Instead of being constructed upon an east and west line so as to haye the high altar in the eastern end, the church will face to the northeast pa relied with Church La.no. Itwas found impossible to carry out the strict orientation of the church on account of the position of the section and the size ol the building. The present building, in common with the other Anglican churches in Christchurch, has the altar at the eastern end. A number of important cathedrals and churches have been erected in recent years without observing strict orientation . The present church was opened on December 20, 1866. and the main portion of the building, including the furniture but not tho lighting, cost onlv £720.