St Mary's Catholic Church

Sewell Street and Stafford Street, HOKITIKA

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The landmark St Mary's Catholic Church (1914-1928), on the corner of Sewell and Stafford Streets, is the largest church and tallest building in Hokitika and the only neo-classical church on the West Coast. The third St Mary's church to be built in Hokitika, this church forms part of a group of classically designed masonry Catholic churches of varying sizes in the South Island. These church buildings were designed to be landmarks and St Mary's Catholic Church is no exception, being outstanding within the Hokitika townscape. The completion of the church over the period 1914 to 1928, interrupted by the First World War, represents a feat of conception and vision during an era of few available resources. The church symbolises the particularly fervent Irish Catholic national aspirations and reflects the comparatively high Catholic population of the West Coast compared to many other parts of the country. When the parish committee called for a replacement church to be built in 1912, they were keen to follow a fairly new trend being set for Catholic churches in New Zealand being designed in a 'Roman' or neo-classical style, as opposed to the Gothic style previously used and generally employed in Protestant churches. The architects Alfred and Sidney Luttrell were engaged and a large part of the church was completed in 1914 and opened at the end of that year. The First World War put a halt to further works for more than five years. Constructed of double brick with an external plaster finish and a slate roof, St Mary's Catholic Church is classically inspired with a 'temple front' portico surmounted by an imposing tower. The tower has a domed top on which sits a cross, which these days is illuminated to provide a prominent landmark by night. The portico entry is formed between coupled round and square Ionic columns supporting a tympanum, and the frontage is completed with a balustraded parapet. This frontage is unique on the West Coast and provides a well conceived variation on classically theme church frontages within New Zealand. St Mary's Catholic Church interior worship space appears carefully planned to provide the necessary internal functions in a simple logical way, enlivened with decorative surfaces. The rectangular nave has a flat ceiling with curved cove, a raked floor, and is lit by round-headed windows containing both coloured and plain glass. A spacious organ and choir loft is cantilevered over the nave at the entrance. The square chancel is separated from the nave by Ionic pilasters, lined with Corinthian pilasters, and wainscotted to window sill height with timber panelling. A sacristy and vestry flank the chancel, which is not expressed on the church's exterior. Two pedimented niches containing sacred statues are set into the sanctuary wall. Although the design is outside the Luttrell brothers' usual genre, a large number of people consider the building to be one of the finest historical buildings in Hokitika. It is well-crafted and appropriately scaled to the Hokitika township and surrounding district that it serves. Although the nave was first used late in December 1914, the portico and tower were not constructed until 1920-21. This delay in completion was partly caused by problems posed by the outbreak of war as well as a shortage of funds. The finishing plaster was finally applied to the exterior walls in 1927-28, some 14 years after the foundation stone was laid. The interior timber and plaster work was completed at the same time. Refurbishment programmes were undertaken in 1978 and 1989. St Mary's Catholic Church has social and spiritual significance as the centre of Catholic worship in Hokitika and its environs for 95 years. It is built in close proximity to the sites of two earlier St Mary's churches (1865 and 1866), each built on Hokitika's 'Roman Catholic Reserve'. It is historically and aesthetically important in Hokitika as a dominating feature in the town representing the strong presence of the Irish Catholic community. It has architectural value as an unusual West Coast example of a classically inspired design by prominent Edwardian architectural practice, the Luttrell brothers.

St Mary’s Catholic Church’, Hokitika | Dave Margetts | 01/06/2008 | NZ Historic Places Trust
St Mary’s Catholic Church, south elevation’ | Robyn Burgess | 08/09/2009 | NZ Historic Places Trust
St Mary’s Catholic Church, detail of window on south elevation, showing timber cross on exterior | Robyn Burgess | 08/09/2009 | NZ Historic Places Trust

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

1705

Date Entered

4th April 2004

Date of Effect

4th April 2004

City/District Council

Westland District

Region

West Coast Region

Extent of List Entry

Extent includes part of the land described as Lot 1 DP 3795 (RT WS8C/670), Westland Land District and the building known as St Mary's Catholic Church thereon, and its fittings and fixtures. (Refer to map of extent in Appendix 1 of the review report for further information).

Legal description

Lot 1 DP 3795 (RT WS8C/670), Westland Land District

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