Holy Trinity Avonside
Encyclopedia
Holy Trinity Avonside was a heritage-listed Anglican
church located in Linwood
, Christchurch
, New Zealand. It is registered as a "Historic Place – Category I" by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust
. It was "damaged beyond the point of repair" in the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake and was demolished the following September.
in 1857. The land for the church had been provided by John and Elizabeth Stace, who had arrived in Lyttelton
on the Nugent in 1851. Architect Benjamin Mountfort
, a parishioner, designed additions to the church including a bell tower
and timber vestry
in 1869. Around 1873, further Mountfort-designed additions included a stone chancel
and transept
s. In 1905 the original cob building was replaced by a stone nave
designed by Mountfort's son Cyril Mountfort
. In 1953–1954 the west end of the church was extended, removing the remaining pre-1870s part of the building.
The church received damage in the 2010 Canterbury earthquake
. Repairs were under way when the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake struck, when the church building suffered major damage including collapse of the chancel and most of the transepts. The church was "damaged beyond the point of repair". Workers repairing damage on the inside of the 1876 Mountfort-designed part of the church were having lunch outside when this part of the building collapsed. The church was demolished in September 2011 amidst much controversy. Heritage advocates claimed that the church was of higher importance than ChristChurch Cathedral and more should have been done to try and save it, or it should have at least been dismantled by hand to save important architectural features like the ceilings, but instead diggers smashed everything up. Bishop Victoria Matthews
defended the demolition, stating that her "priority has to be humans and the safety of the community. It wasn't the time to take chances." A time capsule containing the words of the consecration was recovered from underneath the nave.
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
church located in Linwood
Linwood, New Zealand
Linwood is an inner suburb of the city of Christchurch, New Zealand. It lies to the East of the city centre, mostly between Ferry Road and Linwood Avenue, two of the major arterial roads to the Eastern suburbs of Christchurch.-History:...
, Christchurch
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. It is registered as a "Historic Place – 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...
. It was "damaged beyond the point of repair" in the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake and was demolished the following September.
History
The Parish of the Most Holy Trinity Avonside was established in 1855, with the first service held in the Rev. Charles Mackie's home "Stricklands". The first service was held in a church building made of cob at Christmas Day 1855, but the church was only consecratedConsecration
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service, usually religious. The word "consecration" literally means "to associate with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different groups...
in 1857. The land for the church had been provided by John and Elizabeth Stace, who had arrived in Lyttelton
Lyttelton, New Zealand
Lyttelton is a port town on the north shore of Lyttelton Harbour close to Banks Peninsula, a suburb of Christchurch on the eastern coast of the South Island of New Zealand....
on the Nugent in 1851. Architect 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...
, a parishioner, designed additions to the church including a bell tower
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...
and timber vestry
Vestry
A vestry is a room in or attached to a church or synagogue in which the vestments, vessels, records, etc., are kept , and in which the clergy and choir robe or don their vestments for divine service....
in 1869. Around 1873, further Mountfort-designed additions included a stone chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
and transept
Transept
For the periodical go to The Transept.A transept is a transverse section, of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In Christian churches, a transept is an area set crosswise to the nave in a cruciform building in Romanesque and Gothic Christian church architecture...
s. In 1905 the original cob building was replaced by a stone nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
designed by Mountfort's son Cyril Mountfort
Cyril Mountfort
Cyril Julian Mountfort was a New Zealand ecclesiastical architect. He was educated at Christ's College and then studied architecture under his father, the prominent New Zealand architect, Benjamin Mountfort....
. In 1953–1954 the west end of the church was extended, removing the remaining pre-1870s part of the building.
The church received damage in the 2010 Canterbury earthquake
2010 Canterbury earthquake
The 2010 Canterbury earthquake was a 7.1 magnitude earthquake, which struck the South Island of New Zealand at 4:35 am on local time ....
. Repairs were under way when the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake struck, when the church building suffered major damage including collapse of the chancel and most of the transepts. The church was "damaged beyond the point of repair". Workers repairing damage on the inside of the 1876 Mountfort-designed part of the church were having lunch outside when this part of the building collapsed. The church was demolished in September 2011 amidst much controversy. Heritage advocates claimed that the church was of higher importance than ChristChurch Cathedral and more should have been done to try and save it, or it should have at least been dismantled by hand to save important architectural features like the ceilings, but instead diggers smashed everything up. Bishop 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 :...
defended the demolition, stating that her "priority has to be humans and the safety of the community. It wasn't the time to take chances." A time capsule containing the words of the consecration was recovered from underneath the nave.
Graveyard
The church graveyard is the burial place of some prominent Cantabrians including:- Julius von HaastJulius von HaastSir Johann Franz "Julius" von Haast was a German geologist. He founded Canterbury Museum at Christchurch.-Biography:...
(1822–1887), explorer and geologist - Cyril MountfortCyril MountfortCyril Julian Mountfort was a New Zealand ecclesiastical architect. He was educated at Christ's College and then studied architecture under his father, the prominent New Zealand architect, Benjamin Mountfort....
(1852–1920), architect - Benjamin MountfortBenjamin MountfortBenjamin 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...
(1825–1898), architect, father of Cyril - William RollestonWilliam RollestonWilliam Rolleston was a New Zealand politician, public administrator, educationalist and Canterbury provincial superintendent.-Early life:...
(1831–1903), SuperintendentSuperintendent (politics)Superintendent was the elected head of each Provincial Council in New Zealand from 1853 to 1876.-Historical context:Provinces existed in New Zealand from 1841 until 1876 as a form of sub-national government. After the initial provinces pre-1853, new provinces were formed by the New Zealand...
of Canterbury ProvinceCanterbury ProvinceThe Canterbury Province was a province of New Zealand from 1853 until the abolition of provincial government in 1876. On the east coast the province was bounded by the Hurunui River in the north and the Waitaki River in the south... - George Warren Russell (1854–1937), Minister of Health during the 1918 flu pandemic