St Luke’s Chapel, a small timber Early English Gothic Revival style chapel now situated on Hereford Street in central Christchurch, was constructed in 1888 as a mortuary chapel at the Heathcote cemetery in Woolston to the designs of [R W England junior]. The building has led a somewhat migratory life, having moved three times from its original cemetery site at Woolston, to the nearby Jubilee Home and then to two City Mission locations on Hereford Street in Christchurch. St Luke’s Chapel has architectural, cultural, historical and spiritual significance or value and has been recognised locally as an example of saved and restored heritage.
The Heathcote parish was part of the community serviced by the Church of St John the Evangelist in Woolston. In 1864 the Church Property Trustees purchased land on the corner of Princes (now Rutherford) Street and Garlands Road for use as a cemetery. Originally called the Lower Heathcote Cemetery, the cemetery was consecrated by the Right Rev Harper, first Bishop of Christchurch, in 1868. Twenty years later the mortuary chapel was built, to the designs of architect [R W England junior], by Messrs Butcher Brothers. It was consecrated in December 1888.
Now fronting the south side of Hereford Street, adjacent to the City Mission building, the small timber chapel sits in a lawn area with a separate modern utilities building and car parking to the rear of the site. Clad in weatherboard, the small gable roofed chapel is rectangular in plan, approximately 8 metres long by 5 metres wide, and has an open gabled porch, with seating, at its north front. The roof is shingled, with a crested ridgeline. Ornamental bargeboards add a decorative element. On the north and south elevations trefoil ventilators sit near at the apex of the gable. Three single lancet windows on both the west and east elevations contain diamond-shaped cathedral glass. At the south end is a three-light lancet window, containing stained glass depicting the Good Shepherd with St Luke the Evangelist and St Barnabas the Apostle, which was designed by Frederick Ellis and executed by Miller Studios. The interior is particularly well crafted and includes arched brace roof trusses of kauri, timber roof detailing, and diagonal rimu panelling on the walls. The matching timber communion table, chair, prayer desk and lectern – moveable items within the church - were designed by R S D Harman and carved by J C Vivian.
By the late 1940s the chapel had fallen into disrepair, largely through lack of use since there were few services due to the Heathcote Cemetery being almost full to capacity. The chapel was then gifted by Church Property Trustees to the North Canterbury Hospital Board and in 1949 it was relocated to the Jubilee Home, 20-30 Jubilee Street in Woolston, to serve as a non-denominational chapel. The Jubilee Memorial Home, a home and hospital to care for the ‘destitute and infirm’, had been established in 1888, coincidently the same year that the mortuary chapel had been built. The shift of the chapel was supervised by the architect R S D Harman. In October 1949 the chapel, which was still sometimes used as a funerary chapel, was dedicated to St Luke the physician. In the 1950s the stained glass window of the Good Shepherd with St Luke the Evangelist and St Barnabas the Apostle, was donated by staff and residents of Jubilee Home (Hospital) and installed in what was liturgical east sanctuary. Around the same time, the J. C. Vivian altar furniture was presented to the chapel. After the Jubilee Home closed in 1990, the chapel was gifted by the Area Health Board to the Anglican social and housing support organisation, Christchurch City Mission. Under the supervision of architect Don Donnithorne, the chapel was shifted to the City Mission site at 275 Hereford Street in April 1991, where it was tucked into a small space within the complex. As part of a major redevelopment of the City Mission site, in 2013 consent was obtained by Wilkie + Bruce Architects to shift the chapel once again, over the road to a more spacious site on its own land parcel, adjacent to the new City Mission complex at 276 Hereford Street. The shift took place in June 2014. In its new location, directly facing the road, the visibility of the chapel is improved, something that is much appreciated by locals. The building is used by the City Mission for monthly services and occasional gatherings.
The Heathcote parish was part of the community serviced by the Church of St John the Evangelist in Woolston. In 1864 the Church Property Trustees purchased land on the corner of Princes (now Rutherford) Street and Garlands Road for use as a cemetery. Originally called the Lower Heathcote Cemetery, the cemetery was consecrated by the Right Rev Harper, first Bishop of Christchurch, in 1868. Twenty years later the mortuary chapel was built, to the designs of architect [R W England junior], by Messrs Butcher Brothers. It was consecrated in December 1888.
Now fronting the south side of Hereford Street, adjacent to the City Mission building, the small timber chapel sits in a lawn area with a separate modern utilities building and car parking to the rear of the site. Clad in weatherboard, the small gable roofed chapel is rectangular in plan, approximately 8 metres long by 5 metres wide, and has an open gabled porch, with seating, at its north front. The roof is shingled, with a crested ridgeline. Ornamental bargeboards add a decorative element. On the north and south elevations trefoil ventilators sit near at the apex of the gable. Three single lancet windows on both the west and east elevations contain diamond-shaped cathedral glass. At the south end is a three-light lancet window, containing stained glass depicting the Good Shepherd with St Luke the Evangelist and St Barnabas the Apostle, which was designed by Frederick Ellis and executed by Miller Studios. The interior is particularly well crafted and includes arched brace roof trusses of kauri, timber roof detailing, and diagonal rimu panelling on the walls. The matching timber communion table, chair, prayer desk and lectern – moveable items within the church - were designed by R S D Harman and carved by J C Vivian.
By the late 1940s the chapel had fallen into disrepair, largely through lack of use since there were few services due to the Heathcote Cemetery being almost full to capacity. The chapel was then gifted by Church Property Trustees to the North Canterbury Hospital Board and in 1949 it was relocated to the Jubilee Home, 20-30 Jubilee Street in Woolston, to serve as a non-denominational chapel. The Jubilee Memorial Home, a home and hospital to care for the ‘destitute and infirm’, had been established in 1888, coincidently the same year that the mortuary chapel had been built. The shift of the chapel was supervised by the architect R S D Harman. In October 1949 the chapel, which was still sometimes used as a funerary chapel, was dedicated to St Luke the physician. In the 1950s the stained glass window of the Good Shepherd with St Luke the Evangelist and St Barnabas the Apostle, was donated by staff and residents of Jubilee Home (Hospital) and installed in what was liturgical east sanctuary. Around the same time, the J. C. Vivian altar furniture was presented to the chapel. After the Jubilee Home closed in 1990, the chapel was gifted by the Area Health Board to the Anglican social and housing support organisation, Christchurch City Mission. Under the supervision of architect Don Donnithorne, the chapel was shifted to the City Mission site at 275 Hereford Street in April 1991, where it was tucked into a small space within the complex. As part of a major redevelopment of the City Mission site, in 2013 consent was obtained by Wilkie + Bruce Architects to shift the chapel once again, over the road to a more spacious site on its own land parcel, adjacent to the new City Mission complex at 276 Hereford Street. The shift took place in June 2014. In its new location, directly facing the road, the visibility of the chapel is improved, something that is much appreciated by locals. The building is used by the City Mission for monthly services and occasional gatherings.
