Country Churches of NZ 75. Wheriko Church, Parewanui, Manawatu

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.

WHERIKO CHURCH, PAREWANUI

'Impossibly simple; board and batten inside and out! The structure, despite it being hedged in by ripened maize howled and moaned at the west wind from the coast. The otherwise dark, stark interior glows with amber light from the east window...' (SKETCHBOOK NOTE)

Built in 1862, after two earlier makeshifts had collapsed, Wheriko whare karakia at Parewanui near Bulls, was the inspiration of the ubiquitous Reverend Richard Taylor, who brought Christianity to the local Ngati Apa (among others) in the 1850s.

For £75 it was constructed by Fred O'Donnell of hand-dressed, pit-sawn totara and set on totara piles - but not for long. Erosion by the Rangitikei River forced its removal to the present site before the 1897 flood that would have washed it out to sea to join the original village.

Richard Taylor consecrated Wheriko church on Christmas Day 1862.

© DON DONOVAN
donovan@ihug.co.nz
.