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.
CHURCH OF THE EPIPHANY, HANMER SPRINGS
On the saddest day of the year it seemed that all of Hanmer Springs had gone to the funeral of two young girls who had drowned in a local North Canterbury river on 26 October 2001.
Everywhere, including my subject church, was deserted. A solemn stillness lay over the sunlit town and even the leaves in the trees refrained from rustling as mourners gathered in and around another church along the road.
The intimate Church of the Epiphany has a particularly handsome apsidal sanctuary lit by three stained-glass memorial windows.
It opened in November 1901 and was consecrated the following January by the Bishop of Nelson.
It was built in five months by a Mr Berry of Blenheim and is said to look no different from when it was built - even after 100 years in an alpine climate that can often bring extremes of baking sun and deep snow. I have not been able to find the architect's name. A pity, he should not have gone unrecorded.
©
DON DONOVAN
donovan@ihug.co.nz
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