Thorndon
Encyclopedia
Thorndon is an inner suburb of Wellington
, the capital city of New Zealand
. It combines residential accommodation and the home of government, and is located at the northern end of the Central Business District
. The suburb was named for Lord Petre
, a Catholic, who was a director of the New Zealand Company and whose family seat in Thorndon Hall
, Essex
was an important centre of English Catholic Recusancy
from the time of Elizabeth I (see: William Byrd (Stondon Massey)). One of Lord Petre's sons, Henry, joined the first expedition of settlers to Wellington and Henry's son, Francis Petre
, was a leading architect who designed the Wellington Catholic Cathedral, Sacred Heart Cathedral
, situated in Thorndon, and many other notable New Zealand buildings.
Thorndon gave its name to the title of Sir Robin Cooke, Lord Cooke of Thorndon, although until his death on 30 August 2006 he lived in Karori
.
The Chinese Embassy is located at 2-6 Glenmore Street in Thorndon, opposite the Botanical Gardens
. The American and German embassies, and the Australian High Commission are also in Thorndon.
's modernistic "Beehive
", and the nearby office complex of Bowen House.
Thorndon is also home to the National Library
and Archives New Zealand
. Both have regular exhibitions and hold valuable documents and collections. Archives houses the Treaty of Waitangi
.
, linking Wellington and Auckland
, and leading to State Highway 2
connecting with the cities of the Hutt Valley.
To the northeast lies the North Island terminal of the Interislander
Cook Strait
ferries, an important road-rail link between the two main islands of New Zealand. Services run daily between Wellington and Picton
in the Marlborough
region of the South Island
.
Between these two transport links is Wellington Railway Station
, the southern terminus of the North Island Main Trunk railway, and also the base for suburban commuter lines to northern Wellington suburbs, the Kapiti Coast
, and the Hutt Valley. Earlier Wellington railway terminals have also been located in Thorndon, most notably the southern terminus of New Zealand's most successful privately owned railway, the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company.
(founded in 1850), Wellington Girls' College (1883) and Queen Margaret College
(1919) The local state primary schools are Sacred Heart Cathedral School
(1850) and Thorndon School
(1852). Kimi Ora School
for special needs pupils was founded in Thorndon in 1951 and was located there until 2011.
(Catholic) (opened in 1901, replacing an earlier building dating from 1850) and the more recent St Paul's Cathedral
(Anglican) (completed 1998). One of Thorndon's most popular tourist attractions is Old Saint Paul's
.
The Chinese Anglican Mission Church is located at 30 Glenmore St opposite the Botanic Gardens.
is one of New Zealand's top sports venues. It is located on former railway land close to the edge of Wellington Harbour
. The Thorndon Tennis (and Squash) Club, established in the 19th century, is one of the oldest in the world.
. It has taken place for many years and is one of the main community events held in Thorndon. Parts of Tinakori Road and Hill Street are closed during the fair.
to the east.
The boundaries of Thorndon form an approximate triangle. Starting from the lower south-west corner, at the intersection of Glenmore St and Collins Tce, the boundary goes up through Tinakori Hill, across through Weld St and along to Baker St. Then the boundary follows the west side of Thorndon Quay down until Hill St, where it goes across to Bowen St, Tinakori Road and Glenmore St (until Collins Tce).
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
, the capital city of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. It combines residential accommodation and the home of government, and is located at the northern end of the Central Business District
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
. The suburb was named for Lord Petre
William Henry Francis Petre, 11th Baron Petre
William Henry Francis, 11th Baron Petre was the first Baron Petre to take his seat in the House of Lords after the passing of the Catholic Relief Act 1829.-Family :...
, a Catholic, who was a director of the New Zealand Company and whose family seat in Thorndon Hall
Thorndon Hall
Thorndon Hall is a Georgian Palladian country house within Thorndon Park, Ingrave, Essex, England, approximately two miles south of Brentwood and from central London....
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
was an important centre of English Catholic Recusancy
Recusancy
In the history of England and Wales, the recusancy was the state of those who refused to attend Anglican services. The individuals were known as "recusants"...
from the time of Elizabeth I (see: William Byrd (Stondon Massey)). One of Lord Petre's sons, Henry, joined the first expedition of settlers to Wellington and Henry's son, Francis Petre
Francis Petre
Francis William "Frank" Petre was a prominent New Zealand-born architect based in Dunedin. He was an able exponent of the Gothic revival style, one of its best practitioners in New Zealand. He followed the Roman Church's initiative to build Catholic places of worship in Anglo-Saxon countries in...
, was a leading architect who designed the Wellington Catholic Cathedral, Sacred Heart Cathedral
Sacred Heart Cathedral, Wellington
The Metropolitan Cathedral of the Sacred Heart and of Saint Mary His Mother, better known as Sacred Heart Cathedral, is a Roman Catholic cathedral on Hill Street, Thorndon in Wellington, New Zealand. It is the cathedral of the Archbishop of Wellington...
, situated in Thorndon, and many other notable New Zealand buildings.
Thorndon gave its name to the title of Sir Robin Cooke, Lord Cooke of Thorndon, although until his death on 30 August 2006 he lived in Karori
Karori
Karori is a suburb located at the western edge of the urban area of Wellington, New Zealand, some 4 km from the city centre.Karori is significantly larger than most other Wellington suburbs, having a population of over 14,000 at the time of the 2006 census.-History:Before the arrival of...
.
Features of Thorndon
The suburb is dominated by transportation links, government offices, and schools, and is also the location of one of the country's main sports venues.The Chinese Embassy is located at 2-6 Glenmore Street in Thorndon, opposite the Botanical Gardens
Wellington Botanic Garden
The Wellington Botanic Garden, Wellington, New Zealand, covers 25 hectares of land on the side of the hill between Thorndon and Kelburn, near central Wellington....
. The American and German embassies, and the Australian High Commission are also in Thorndon.
Government buildings
New Zealand's parliament is located in Thorndon, immediately to the north of the centre of Wellington. These buildings consist of the stately old wing of Parliament Buildings, the executive offices in Basil SpenceBasil Spence
Sir Basil Urwin Spence, OM, OBE, RA was a Scottish architect, most notably associated with Coventry Cathedral in England and the Beehive in New Zealand, but also responsible for numerous other buildings in the Modernist/Brutalist style.-Training:Spence was born in Bombay, India, the son of Urwin...
's modernistic "Beehive
Beehive (building)
The Beehive is the common name for the Executive Wing of the New Zealand Parliament Buildings, located at the corner of Molesworth Street and Lambton Quay, Wellington...
", and the nearby office complex of Bowen House.
Thorndon is also home to the National Library
National Library of New Zealand
The National Library of New Zealand is New Zealand's legal deposit library charged with the obligation to "enrich the cultural and economic life of New Zealand and its interchanges with other nations"...
and Archives New Zealand
Archives New Zealand
Archives New Zealand is the National Archives of New Zealand, with overall responsibility for government recordkeeping and for community archives. Since 1 February 2011 it has been part of the Department of Internal Affairs...
. Both have regular exhibitions and hold valuable documents and collections. Archives houses the Treaty of Waitangi
Treaty of Waitangi
The Treaty of Waitangi is a treaty first signed on 6 February 1840 by representatives of the British Crown and various Māori chiefs from the North Island of New Zealand....
.
Transportation hub
Thorndon is surrounded by major transportation links. To the west, at the foot of the hills, is the Wellington Urban Motorway, part of State Highway 1New Zealand State Highway network
The New Zealand State Highway network is the major national highway network in New Zealand. Just under 100 roads in both the North and South Islands are State Highways...
, linking Wellington and Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, and leading to State Highway 2
New Zealand State Highway network
The New Zealand State Highway network is the major national highway network in New Zealand. Just under 100 roads in both the North and South Islands are State Highways...
connecting with the cities of the Hutt Valley.
To the northeast lies the North Island terminal of the Interislander
Interislander
The Interislander is a road and rail ferry service across New Zealand's Cook Strait, owned and operated by state-owned rail operator KiwiRail.The Interislander travels between Wellington in the North Island and Picton in the South Island, forming a road and rail link between New Zealand's two main...
Cook Strait
Cook Strait
Cook Strait is the strait between the North and South Islands of New Zealand. It connects the Tasman Sea on the west with the South Pacific Ocean on the east....
ferries, an important road-rail link between the two main islands of New Zealand. Services run daily between Wellington and Picton
Picton, New Zealand
Picton is a town in the Marlborough region of New Zealand. It is close to the head of Queen Charlotte Sound near the north-east corner of the South Island. The population was 2928 in the 2006 Census, a decrease of 72 from 2001...
in the Marlborough
Marlborough, New Zealand
Marlborough is one of the regions of New Zealand, located in the northeast of the South Island. Marlborough is a unitary authority, both a region and a district, and its council is located at Blenheim. Marlborough is known for its dry climate, the picturesque Marlborough Sounds, and sauvignon blanc...
region of the South Island
South Island
The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...
.
Between these two transport links is Wellington Railway Station
Wellington Railway Station
Wellington Railway Station is the southern terminus of New Zealand's North Island Main Trunk railway, Wairarapa Line and Johnsonville Line. In terms of number of services and in passenger numbers, it is New Zealand's busiest railway station.-Development:...
, the southern terminus of the North Island Main Trunk railway, and also the base for suburban commuter lines to northern Wellington suburbs, the Kapiti Coast
Kapiti Coast
The Kapiti Coast is the name of the section of the coast of the south-western North Island of New Zealand that is north of Wellington and opposite Kapiti Island. It falls under the jurisdiction of the Wellington Regional Council...
, and the Hutt Valley. Earlier Wellington railway terminals have also been located in Thorndon, most notably the southern terminus of New Zealand's most successful privately owned railway, the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company.
Schools
Several large schools are located in Thorndon, notably St Mary's CollegeSt Mary's College, Wellington
St Mary's College Wellington is situated in the suburb of Thorndon in Wellington, New Zealand. The school is an integrated all girls Catholic secondary school for years 9-13.-History:...
(founded in 1850), Wellington Girls' College (1883) and Queen Margaret College
Queen Margaret College (Wellington)
Queen Margaret College is an independent Presbyterian all-girls high school/college in Wellington, New Zealand. The school was started in 1919 at 53 Hobson Street, Thorndon, Wellington. It was previously the location of Scots College, Wellington, now the school's brother school. The land currently...
(1919) The local state primary schools are Sacred Heart Cathedral School
Sacred Heart Cathedral School, Thorndon
Sacred Heart Cathedral School is a New Zealand, Catholic, primary school located in the central-city suburb of Thorndon, Wellington, New Zealand. It is part of a Catholic precinct dating from 1850...
(1850) and Thorndon School
Thorndon School
Thorndon School is a New Zealand primary and intermediate school located in the suburb of Thorndon, Wellington, New Zealand. It was first established in 1852. the principal is Bill Sutton.Notable alumni include Judge Michael Myers....
(1852). Kimi Ora School
Kimi Ora School
Kimi Ora School Wellington is a special needs school in Wellington, New Zealand for students with physical disabilities, particularly cerebral palsy...
for special needs pupils was founded in Thorndon in 1951 and was located there until 2011.
Churches
Thorndon is home to two Cathedrals: Sacred Heart Cathedral, WellingtonSacred Heart Cathedral, Wellington
The Metropolitan Cathedral of the Sacred Heart and of Saint Mary His Mother, better known as Sacred Heart Cathedral, is a Roman Catholic cathedral on Hill Street, Thorndon in Wellington, New Zealand. It is the cathedral of the Archbishop of Wellington...
(Catholic) (opened in 1901, replacing an earlier building dating from 1850) and the more recent St Paul's Cathedral
Wellington Cathedral of Saint Paul
This article relates to the Anglican Cathedral of Wellington. For the two other Wellington Cathedrals see: Sacred Heart Cathedral and Cathedral of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary thumb|View of the chancel...
(Anglican) (completed 1998). One of Thorndon's most popular tourist attractions is Old Saint Paul's
Old Saint Paul's
Old St. Paul's is a former cathedral in the Diocese of Wellington of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia. It is an example of 19th-century Gothic Revival architecture adapted to colonial conditions and materials. It is at 34 Mulgrave Street, Thorndon, Wellington, New Zealand,...
.
The Chinese Anglican Mission Church is located at 30 Glenmore St opposite the Botanic Gardens.
Historic places
- Katherine Mansfield BirthplaceKatherine Mansfield BirthplaceKatherine Mansfield Birthplace was the home of Katherine Mansfield, New Zealand's most famous author. The building, located in Thorndon, is classified as a "Category I" historic place by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust...
is located in Thorndon, and is the house where Katherine MansfieldKatherine MansfieldKathleen Mansfield Beauchamp Murry was a prominent modernist writer of short fiction who was born and brought up in colonial New Zealand and wrote under the pen name of Katherine Mansfield. Mansfield left for Great Britain in 1908 where she encountered Modernist writers such as D.H. Lawrence and...
grew up - The Thistle InnThistle InnThe Thistle Inn is one of New Zealand's oldest public houses.Originally built in 1840, the Thistle Inn was rebuilt after a fire in 1866. Up until the reclamation of Wellington Harbour the building was only a few metres from the shoreline and patrons often arrived by boat, including, according to...
is one of New Zealand's oldest public houses, originally built in 1840
Sports
The new Westpac StadiumWestpac Stadium
Westpac Stadium, is a major sporting venue in Wellington, New Zealand. Due to its shape and silver coloured external walls, it is colloquially known as The Cake-Tin to the locals and other New Zealanders...
is one of New Zealand's top sports venues. It is located on former railway land close to the edge of Wellington Harbour
Wellington Harbour
Wellington Harbour is the large natural harbour at the southern tip of New Zealand's North Island. New Zealand's capital, Wellington, is on the western side of Wellington Harbour. The harbour was officially named Port Nicholson until it assumed its current name in the 1980s.In Māori the harbour is...
. The Thorndon Tennis (and Squash) Club, established in the 19th century, is one of the oldest in the world.
Thorndon events
The Thorndon Fair is held annually, usually on the first Sunday of December. The fair has many stalls selling crafts and second-hand goods and is held for the benefit of Thorndon SchoolThorndon School
Thorndon School is a New Zealand primary and intermediate school located in the suburb of Thorndon, Wellington, New Zealand. It was first established in 1852. the principal is Bill Sutton.Notable alumni include Judge Michael Myers....
. It has taken place for many years and is one of the main community events held in Thorndon. Parts of Tinakori Road and Hill Street are closed during the fair.
Geographic boundaries
Thorndon occupies the northern end of the narrow coastal plain that makes up the heart of Wellington. It is flanked by the green hills of Wadestown to the west and the port facilities of Wellington HarbourWellington Harbour
Wellington Harbour is the large natural harbour at the southern tip of New Zealand's North Island. New Zealand's capital, Wellington, is on the western side of Wellington Harbour. The harbour was officially named Port Nicholson until it assumed its current name in the 1980s.In Māori the harbour is...
to the east.
The boundaries of Thorndon form an approximate triangle. Starting from the lower south-west corner, at the intersection of Glenmore St and Collins Tce, the boundary goes up through Tinakori Hill, across through Weld St and along to Baker St. Then the boundary follows the west side of Thorndon Quay down until Hill St, where it goes across to Bowen St, Tinakori Road and Glenmore St (until Collins Tce).