Country Churches of NZ 123. St. James's, Roxburgh, Central 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 JAMES'S, ROXBURGH

Maori hunted moa in these parts long before prospectors found gold, before the soil and climate were found to produce superior peaches and apricots, or before the Clutha River was dammed for its power.

Somewhere in that bunched up history, Christianity came to the area that started life as Teviot.
In 1871 an Anglican building committee was formed and a site was offered. Tenders were let, the stone was quarried from a stone's throw away, and St James's was opened on 11 November 1872, having cost £881.

Its mellow stones - dressed and assembled by stonemason Peter Campbell - require watercolour washed over oil pastel for the right texture. It was a very satisfying subject to paint.

© DON DONOVAN
donovan@ihug.co.nz
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