St Mary's Church (Catholic)

57 Maxwell Road, BLENHEIM

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St Mary's Catholic Church was completed in 1878 to a design by architect Thomas Turnbull [1825-1907] and is the oldest church still in use in Blenheim. It was built under the direction of Father Augustine Sauzeau [1834-1898], the first missionary from the French Catholic Society of Mary to arrive in Blenheim. Sauzeau commissioned Turnbull, a Wellington architect who became renowned for his ecclesiastical architecture, to erect a building that would reflect the strength of the Catholic community and inspire people to worship. Located near the original St Mary's church that was erected a year after Sauzeau's arrival in 1864, Turnbull's church was officially opened by Bishop Francis Redwood [1839-1935]. Turnbull's churches are notable for their strong Gothic character and St Mary's is an early example of his work. Originally rectangular in shape, the church is dominated by a Gothic, 27 metre [90 foot] belfry and a broach spire at the south-west end of its steeply gabled roof. The spire is surmounted by a cross and the belfry holds the bronze bell cast in Lyons, France in 1866 for the original church. The exterior of the church is clad in rusticated weatherboards which are regularly punctuated by timber pilasters capped with octagonal pinnacles typical of the style. The interior is lit by the traditional lancet and trefoil windows that line the walls of the church. Four clerestory windows light the sanctuary. Built when the mass was deliberately shrouded in an aura of mystery, the sanctuary is narrow and separated from the nave of the church by a raised floor. The church interior was designed to seat 400 people and features exposed beams and rafters and a lining of diagonal rimu boards. The sides of the church include an arcade of pointed arches supported by octagonal columns. It was built by Davis Bros, for £2061, with the timber being sourced from mills at Koromiko and secured in place by mortice and tenon, so that few handmade nails would be required during construction. As further funds were raised, the church was progressively adorned with memorial stained glass windows and decorative woodwork by local Chinese craftsman Ah Gee. Finely built and notable for its elegant proportions, the church stands as a testimony to the architectural skill of Thomas Turnbull. Progressive renovations of the church in the late twentieth century altered its early shape and form. Most of the work of Ah Gee has been lost and the original form conceived of by Turnbull changed. Major alterations occurred between 1991 and 1993 when the church was extended by architect and former Wellington mayor Sir Michael Fowler. Changes to the liturgy under Vatican II, together with the need for more seating prompted Fowler to move the side aisles out by three metres, altering the form of the nave from a rectangle to a square. A 116 square metre foyer was added and now acts as the main entrance to the church. A small chapel for weekday masses was created in the sanctuary which is screened off from the main church by a stained glass wall. The presbytery and a convent were also removed from the site. While these alterations have interfered to some extent with Turnbull's design and the sense of history in the church, they reflect the changing religious needs of the community and St Mary's remains a symbol of the Catholic faith and dedication fostered by Sauzeau from 1864. St Mary's Church has national significance as the oldest church still in use in Blenheim and as an important early example of the ecclesiastical architecture of Thomas Turnbull. It has strong spiritual significance as a place of worship and as a continuing symbol of the strength of the Catholic Church in Blenheim. It has international interest as evidence of the work of the French Marist missionaries and is connected to figures important for their work in the Society of Mary and the Church. St Mary's has technological value as an example of early construction methods used in timber churches and its spire is a landmark in the flat, urban area of Blenheim.

St Mary's Church (Catholic). Image courtesy of www.flickr.com | Shellie Evans - flyingkiwigirl | 21/11/2013 | Shellie Evans - flyingkiwigirl
St Mary's Church (Catholic). Image courtesy of www.flickr.com | Shellie Evans - flyingkiwigirl | 21/11/2013 | Shellie Evans - flyingkiwigirl
St Mary's Church (Catholic). Image courtesy of The Marlborough Historical Society Collections | Unknown | The Marlborough Historical Society Museum & Archives

Location

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List Entry Information

Overview

Detailed List Entry

Status

Listed

List Entry Status

Historic Place Category 1

Access

Private/No Public Access

List Number

242

Date Entered

4th April 1990

Date of Effect

4th April 1990

City/District Council

Marlborough District

Region

Marlborough Region

Legal description

Pt Lot 411 and 412 Deed 15 (RT MB3A/914), Marlborough Land District

Location Description

Note that the Church uses the address '61 Maxwell Road' to cover the whole of the church complex. However the correct address for the church is 57 Maxwell Road.

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