Hororata Historic Walking Tour
#1 - St John's ChurchYour walking tour starts on Hororata Road, near the intersection with Downs Road, at the site of St John's Anglican Church. The first church to be built on this site was a small wooden church constructed in 1875. 'Old' St John's was later moved across the road to make way for the new stone church. The 'new' stone St John's Anglican church was consecrated in 1911. It was made possible through funds provided by Sir John Hall. English-born John Hall arrived in New Zealand in 1852 at the age of 28. He developed a large-scale sheep farm in Canterbury and became involved in Hororata community activities – school, community hall, library and church. Voted Chairman of the Christchurch City Council in 1863 and Premier of New Zealand in 1879, his last major political act before he retired was to pilot through the bill that gave women the right to vote. Knighted in 1882, John Hall died in 1907, leaving a legacy in three parts – for a new vicarage, towards the vicar’s stipend, and for a new stone church in memory of his wife Rose. The community decided to move the old church to the other side of the road and convert it into a Parish Hall. While being towed across the road one Saturday late 1909 the building came off its runners, necessitating a “middle of the road” church service that Sunday. The new church was built with volcanic rock from nearby Harper Hills. The interior was lined in Oamaru stone. Its stained-glass window, donated by Sir John Hall’s children, was made in England by Heaton, Butler & Bayne and was installed in June 1914. The pulpit was added in 1961 for the 50th Jubilee. The organ, installed in 1970, was funded from a bequest of former parishioner Herbert Thorne. It came from St Augustine’s, Cashmere, which itself contained components from Christchurch Cathedral's first organ. New St John’s was badly damaged in the 2010 Canterbury earthquake. Part of the bell tower crashed through the roof, smashing into the organ. The community is currently fundraising for the estimated $3m repair costs. While the community waits for this to be repaired, the old hall has once again been pressed into service as a church. Next stop: The Pound |