Country Churches of NZ 134. St. James's, Franz Josef, Westland

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, FRANZ JOSEF

St. James's, viewed from across the glacier-fed Waiho River is a perfect example of the axiom 'Man proposes, God disposes' for when it was built, the sanctuary window, by design, framed the terminus of the Franz Josef glacier. But the ice disappeared from view in 1953, with a brief return in 1994, after which it once again receded and hasn't been seen from the window since.

Nevertheless, it is an admirable church. Vaguely Tudor in its board and batten stripes, it was designed by Turnbull & Pule of Timaru and built by Bullock & Stewart. The foundation stone was laid by the Governor General of the time, Lord Bledisloe, in 1931.

© DON DONOVAN
donovan@ihug.co.nz
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