Country Churches of NZ 42. St.Abraham’s, Waipiro Bay

I wrote and illustrated Country Churches of New Zealand. It was published in 2002 by New Holland, Publishers and is still on sale in bookshops. The publishers have kindly agreed to me re-publishing some of the book’s images and descriptions in this blog.

ST. ABRAHAM’S, WAIPIRO BAY

Wharfless Waipiro Bay was once a thriving community with a buoyant economy based on farming whose produce - meat, fleeces, etc - were taken by lighters to anchored ships.

St Abraham’s, which the Historic Places Trust lists as a memorial church, has three honours boards and was built six years after the end of World War 1. It is substantial but severe in plain brick and tile with raw brick for a nave.

None of the mullion-type lattice windows are coloured or stained. A large bell lies on the floor by the north door.

The foundation stone was laid by:

‘Rt Rev Bishop William Walmsley D.D., Bishop of Waiapu, April 11, 1924,
Pine Tamahori, Mission Priest; John Pigott, Vicar’.

© DON DONOVAN

donovan@ihug.co.nz
.