Country Churches of NZ 107. St. Andrew's, Maheno, Otago

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. ANDREWS, MAHENO

Slightly reminiscent of Cecil Wood's St Paul's at Tai Tapu (see 97) and built for much the same reason - as a family memorial - the Church of St. Andrew at Maheno blushes with pride on its manicured lawns above the Kakanui River. Just look at that baronial door!

The church was built in 1938 by the Tasmanian Nichols family, who owned the Kuriheka Estate from where its russet blocks were quarried. Redder masonry came from Redcliffs near Sumner, with Oamaru limestone for the window surrounds.

Incorporated into its walls are stones collected from old English cathedrals. The handmade, glazed plum tiles were from Sydney.

The architecture was developed from Cecil Wood's sketches by Richard Harman (see the Church of the Good Shepherd, Lake Tekapo) who added the tower to house bells and organ loft.

© DON DONOVAN 
donovan@ihug.co.nz
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