Country Churches of NZ 147. The Last Church. Totara Flat, 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.

This is the last post of the book which contains 149 churches
scattered throughout New Zealand.

AND FINALLY...

This small ex-Presbyterian church from Totara Flat in the Grey River valley south of Reefton was in the course of re-decoration as a private dwelling when I stopped to draw it.

There was nobody around that day. My sketch sums up the fun of my odyssey: to enjoy the warmth of the day, admire some simple, honest architecture, scratch a few pen lines, and splash on a little watercolour.

A rusty iron gate in the church's roadside fence had this message wrought into its bars: 'Thy Way to God is in the Sanctuary'.

I’m not quite sure what it means…


© DON DONOVAN

donovan@ihug.co.nz
.

Country Churches of NZ 136. St. Luke's, Ngahere, 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. LUKE’S, NGAHERE

There's nothing special about St. Luke's at Ngahere on the Grey River, but its fresh, bright restoration which was still in progress offered me the opportunity to use some of the colours from the 'hundreds-and-thousands' end of my paint box.

It was built to plans given by Ralph Tyler of Greymouth and it has a twin in the Rai Valley.
The foundation stone was laid by the Bishop of Nelson, Rt. Reverend P. W. Stephens D. D. on 21 September 1952.

© DON DONOVAN

donovan@ihug.co.nz

.