Church of St Michael and All Angels, Christchurch
Encyclopedia
The Church of St Michael and All Angels is an Anglican church in Christchurch
, New Zealand. The church building at 84 Oxford Terrace, Christchurch, is registered as Category I by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust
. Its freestanding belfry is registered separately.
settlers in 1851. St Michael & All Angels served as the pro-cathedral
until the completion of ChristChurch Cathedral in 1881.
The architect was William Fitzjohn Crisp (1846–1924). He had came out from England in 1864 as the pupil of Robert Speechly who had been appointed by George Gilbert Scott
to supervise the building of the Christ Church Cathedral. The cornerstone of the church was laid in a ceremony on the Feast of St Michael & All Angels
, 29 September 1870. However, problems with the construction of the building led to Crisp returning to Britain in 1871 and Frederick Strouts (1834–1919) was appointed as supervising architect in June of that year.
The church was opened on 2 May 1872. Because of a lack of money the chancel was not completed until 1875, and the planned bell tower and spire were never constructed. The church is constructed mostly of mataī
timber on rubble stone foundations. It is one of the largest timber Gothic Revival churches in the Southern Hemisphere. The only alteration to the church structure has been the removal of a tie-beam and secondary arch to give a better view of the east window in 1896.
The belfry
is a survival of the previous church building. It was designed by Benjamin Mountfort
and constructed in 1861. The bell it houses was brought out with the First Four Ships in 1850 and was rung every hour of daylight to indicate time to the first settlers.
Alfred Averill came to New Zealand in 1894 to be vicar of St Michael and All Angels and rose to be Archbishop of New Zealand
.
Associated with the church is St Michael's Church School
.
and was the pro-cathedral for some years. Architecturally, it is notable as a timber Gothic building. The belfry of the church is also recognised as a Category I structure. It was registered under number 295 on the same day.
, with Julius von Haast
giving some scientific commentary. St John's Church in Hereford Street, the first Anglican church in Christchurch built of permanent materials in 1864–1865, was damaged in that earthquake. The earthquake, centred under Addington
or Spreydon
, had an estimated magnitude
of 5 and a ground shaking intensity of MMI
7.
In March 2011, a Lenten service at St Michael’s and All Angels Church was attended by Victoria Matthews
, Bishop of Christchurch, and Kevin Rudd
, Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs. As part of the service, Mr Rudd lit a candle in memory of those who died in the 22 February 2011 earthquake.
The original 1872 Bevington pipe organ
was damaged in the 22 February earthquake and was subsequently removed for repairs. The church is fund-raising to help meet the NZ$500,000 organ restoration cost. The temporary replacement is an organ built from parts of instruments damaged during World War II
bombing raids on Britain.
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
, New Zealand. The church building at 84 Oxford Terrace, Christchurch, is registered as Category I by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust
New Zealand Historic Places Trust
The New Zealand Historic Places Trust is a non-profit trust that advocates for the protection of ancestral sites and heritage buildings in New Zealand...
. Its freestanding belfry is registered separately.
History
The structure stands on the site of the first church built by the Canterbury AssociationCanterbury Association
The Canterbury Association was formed in order to establish a colony in what is now the Canterbury Region in the South Island of New Zealand.- Formation of the Association :...
settlers in 1851. St Michael & All Angels served as the pro-cathedral
Pro-cathedral
A pro-cathedral is a parish church that is temporarily serving as the cathedral or co-cathedral of a diocese.-Usage:In Ireland, the term is used to specifically refer to St Mary's Pro-Cathedral in Dublin, the seat of the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin since the Reformation, when Christ Church...
until the completion of ChristChurch Cathedral in 1881.
The architect was William Fitzjohn Crisp (1846–1924). He had came out from England in 1864 as the pupil of Robert Speechly who had been appointed by George Gilbert Scott
George Gilbert Scott
Sir George Gilbert Scott was an English architect of the Victorian Age, chiefly associated with the design, building and renovation of churches, cathedrals and workhouses...
to supervise the building of the Christ Church Cathedral. The cornerstone of the church was laid in a ceremony on the Feast of St Michael & All Angels
Michaelmas
Michaelmas, the feast of Saint Michael the Archangel is a day in the Western Christian calendar which occurs on 29 September...
, 29 September 1870. However, problems with the construction of the building led to Crisp returning to Britain in 1871 and Frederick Strouts (1834–1919) was appointed as supervising architect in June of that year.
The church was opened on 2 May 1872. Because of a lack of money the chancel was not completed until 1875, and the planned bell tower and spire were never constructed. The church is constructed mostly of mataī
Prumnopitys taxifolia
Prumnopitys taxifolia is an endemic New Zealand coniferous tree that grows on the North Island and South Island. It also occurs on Stewart Island/Rakiura but is uncommon there....
timber on rubble stone foundations. It is one of the largest timber Gothic Revival churches in the Southern Hemisphere. The only alteration to the church structure has been the removal of a tie-beam and secondary arch to give a better view of the east window in 1896.
The belfry
Bell tower
A bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
is a survival of the previous church building. It was designed by Benjamin Mountfort
Benjamin Mountfort
Benjamin Woolfield Mountfort was an English emigrant to New Zealand, where he became one of that country's most prominent 19th century architects. He was instrumental in shaping the city of Christchurch's unique architectural identity and culture, and was appointed the first official Provincial...
and constructed in 1861. The bell it houses was brought out with the First Four Ships in 1850 and was rung every hour of daylight to indicate time to the first settlers.
Alfred Averill came to New Zealand in 1894 to be vicar of St Michael and All Angels and rose to be Archbishop of New Zealand
Archbishop of New Zealand
The Archbishop of New Zealand is the primate, or head, of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia. However, since Whakahuihui Vercoe stepped down at the end of his two-year term as archbishop in 2006, the church has decided that three bishops shall share the position and style of...
.
Associated with the church is St Michael's Church School
St Michael's Church School
St Michael's is a co-educational Anglican primary and intermediate day school situated in the city centre of Christchurch, New Zealand. The school provides an education for year zero to year eight. It is associated with the St Michael and All Angels church....
.
Heritage registration
The church was registered by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust as a Category I heritage building on 2 April 1985 with registration number 294. It is significant as it was the first church on the Canterbury PlainsCanterbury Plains
The Canterbury Plains are an area in New Zealand centred to the south of the city of Christchurch in the Canterbury Region. Their northern extremes are at the foot of the Hundalee Hills in the Hurunui District, and in the south they merge into the plains of North Otago beyond the Waitaki...
and was the pro-cathedral for some years. Architecturally, it is notable as a timber Gothic building. The belfry of the church is also recognised as a Category I structure. It was registered under number 295 on the same day.
Earthquakes
The wooden building survived three major earthquakes in 2010/11 almost unscathed and is the only Anglican church that remained in use in the central city. The plans had been drawn with regard to the threat of tremors. At a meeting of parishioners held on 14 December 1869, the general concept for the new church was agreed on, including the building material: "Owing to the late severe shocks of earthquake the vestry came to the conclusion that it would be useless to attempt building any part of stone. Therefore it was decided that wood should be the material." The earthquake referred to was the one that hit Christchurch on 5 June 18691869 Christchurch earthquake
The 1869 Christchurch earthquake was an earthquake of approximately magnitude 6 that struck the city of Christchurch at 8:00am local time on the morning of 5 June 1869...
, with Julius von Haast
Julius von Haast
Sir Johann Franz "Julius" von Haast was a German geologist. He founded Canterbury Museum at Christchurch.-Biography:...
giving some scientific commentary. St John's Church in Hereford Street, the first Anglican church in Christchurch built of permanent materials in 1864–1865, was damaged in that earthquake. The earthquake, centred under Addington
Addington, New Zealand
Addington is a major suburb of Christchurch, New Zealand. It is sited south-west of the city centre.-Description:The suburb was named for the country residence of Bishop John Sumner, one of the leading members of the Canterbury Association....
or Spreydon
Spreydon
Spreydon is a middle-class suburb of Christchurch, New Zealand. The most central street through Spreydon is Lyttelton Street. Spreydon is flanked by the suburbs Barrington, Hoon Hay, Riccarton, and Lower Cashmere....
, had an estimated magnitude
Richter magnitude scale
The expression Richter magnitude scale refers to a number of ways to assign a single number to quantify the energy contained in an earthquake....
of 5 and a ground shaking intensity of MMI
Mercalli intensity scale
The Mercalli intensity scale is a seismic scale used for measuring the intensity of an earthquake. It measures the effects of an earthquake, and is distinct from the moment magnitude M_w usually reported for an earthquake , which is a measure of the energy released...
7.
In March 2011, a Lenten service at St Michael’s and All Angels Church was attended by Victoria Matthews
Victoria Matthews
Victoria Matthews is Bishop of Christchurch in the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand, and Polynesia. At her ordination to the episcopate in 1994, she became the first ever female bishop in the Anglican Church of Canada.- Life :...
, Bishop of Christchurch, and Kevin Rudd
Kevin Rudd
Kevin Michael Rudd is an Australian politician who was the 26th Prime Minister of Australia from 2007 to 2010. He has been Minister for Foreign Affairs since 2010...
, Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs. As part of the service, Mr Rudd lit a candle in memory of those who died in the 22 February 2011 earthquake.
The original 1872 Bevington pipe organ
Pipe organ
The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air through pipes selected via a keyboard. Because each organ pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ranks, each of which has a common timbre and volume throughout the keyboard compass...
was damaged in the 22 February earthquake and was subsequently removed for repairs. The church is fund-raising to help meet the NZ$500,000 organ restoration cost. The temporary replacement is an organ built from parts of instruments damaged during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
bombing raids on Britain.
List of vicars
The following vicars have served at St Michael and All Angels:- Octavius Mathias, 1852–1860
- Henry Jacobs, 1863–1873
- Henry J. Edwards, 1873–1876
- Edward Gorton Penny, 1876–1881
- Walter Harper, 1882–1893
- Alfred Walter AverillAlfred Walter AverillAlfred Walter Averill was the 5th Anglican Bishop of Auckland whose Episcopate spanned a 25-year period during the first half of the 20th century. Born in Staffordshire he was educated at King Edward VI School, Stafford and St John's College, Oxford before embarking on an ecclesiastical career...
, 1894–1910 - Harry Darwin Burton, 1910–1915
- Charles E. Perry, 1916–1936
- Cecil MuschampCecil MuschampCecil Emerson Barron Muschamp was an Anglican bishop in the third quarter of the 20th century.He was born in Wing, Buckinghamshire on 16 June 1902 and educated at Launceston Church Grammar School and the University of Tasmania...
, 1937–1951 - Cecil Gault, 1951–1963
- Timothy Raphael 1963-1965
- Philip Baker 1965-1986
- Ivan Smith 1986- ?
- Jonathan Kirkpatrick ? -1997
- Peter Williams, 1997-present
Sources
- Christchurch-St Michael's: a study in Anglicanism in New Zealand by Marie Peters; University of Canterbury, 1986