Country Churches of NZ 108. Presbyterian Church, Hampden, 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.

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, HAMPDEN

I do wish the Presbyterians and Methodists would use their imagination and give more of their churches saints' names - the Presbyterian Church, Hampden, certainly deserves one.

It's a great little Robert Arthur Lawson church and fun to illustrate. It was built in 1870 by Hunter & Goodfellow for £640 with the help of local parishioners who willingly carted stone from Kakanui and timber from the local bush.

In 1881, one of the early preachers, Rev. J. Summers, aged in his 60s, died in the middle of conducting a service; I imagine he went straight to heaven.

© DON DONOVAN
donovan@ihug.co.nz
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