Country Churches of NZ 143. St. John's, Wakefield, Tasman

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. JOHN'S, WAKEFIELD

Built in 1846, St. John's, Wakefield is the oldest surviving church in the South Island and the second oldest in New Zealand (see Christ Church, Russell).

There is conjecture that the architect might have been Mrs Reay, wife of the first parish vicar (see 39 St John's, Rangitukia). Alternatively, it could have been Charles Heaphy.

Certainly it was built by Charles Baigent, a Wakefield sawmiller. It's said that apart from a couple of small additions, it's very much as it was in the beginning.


© DON DONOVAN

donovan@ihug.co.nz
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