Cultural Significance

This historic place was registered under the Historic Places Act 1993. The following text is from the original Recommendation for Registration considered by the NZHPT Board at the time of registration. Cultural/Social: The Presbyterian Church is the only remaining church in Norsewood. The small rural town once had an Anglican, a Catholic and a Methodist church. The church and adjoining church hall are now the major venue for community gatherings and activities. The church is well maintained and cared for by the community. Spiritual: St David's church has been the centre of Presbyterian worship in Norsewood for nearly ninety years serving several generations.

Historic Significance

Historical Significance or Value This historic place was registered under the Historic Places Act 1993. The following text is from the original Recommendation for Registration considered by the NZHPT Board at the time of registration. Historical: Norsewood was a small Scandinavian settlement established in the 1870's. The Presbyterian church was built by it's congregation in 1905. In the 1960's the main highway was shifted resulting in the town's decline and a subsequent reduction in the number of churchgoers.

Physical Significance

This historic place was registered under the Historic Places Act 1993. The following text is from the original Recommendation for Registration considered by the NZHPT Board at the time of registration. Aesthetic: The design of St David's Church, Norsewood, presents a clear and complete interpretation of the principles of the Gothic Revival. Architectural: The design of St David's Church is a well resolved essay in Norman/Middle Pointed Gothic Revival, employing New Zealand vernacular techniques in its construction.

Detail Of Assessed Criteria

This historic place was registered under the Historic Places Act 1993. The following text is from the original Recommendation for Registration considered by the NZHPT Board at the time of registration. c) The potential of the place to provide knowledge of New Zealand history: St David's Church is representative of the development of organised religion in New Zealand, in this case a small rural Presbyterian church now serving an ecumenical community. This present multi-purpose use is historically interesting because it represents a reaction to the twin declines of rural communities and organised religion in New Zealand in the late twentieth century. . e) The community association with, or public esteem for, the place: St David's would have always been significant to Presbyterians in the district. Due to the closure of churches of other denominations, its role in the life of the community has become more significant. It is used twice a month for Sunday services and occasionally for ecumenical services. The adjoining church hall plays an integral role in the small township and is used for community gatherings and activities such as the local playcentre. St David's has become a symbol of church and district unity. f) The potential of the place for public education: Small rural churches such as St David's have significance as a heritage landmark within the area displaying interpretive materials such as rolls of honour and plaques commemorating members of the community. g) The technical accomplishment or value, or design of the place: Dannevirke architects, Finch & Lamb, designed St David's church in 1905. This plain, simple church is Norman in design with firm adherence to Gothic Revival principles. The exterior of St David's is clad in rusticated weatherboarding with simple diagonal bracing acting as buttresses, and is a good example of this technique which was used by other architects. The nave windows, which consist of leaded lights using coloured glass in a diamond shaped pattern, and their exterior square headed frames, are a vernacular tradition in New Zealand church building. The main entrance window consists of four lancet windows arranged within a single Gothic pointed head, architrave. The otherwise plain facade of the main entry porch features a free interpretation of Gothic elements with a row of fretted quatrefoils forming a frieze surmounted by a pair of shallow trefoil heads flanking the inner apex of the porch gable. The stained timber interior of the church has an Arched Brace roof, wooden pews, an ornate pulpit and organ. The church, churchyard with fence and gate, belltower and the community hall (1960 addition at the rear of the church which does not interfere with the integrity of the main building) form an attractive venue for community activities. Conclusion: St David's Presbyterian Church, Norsewood is recommended for registration as a Category II as a place of historical and cultural heritage significance and value. This simple timber Gothic church is the only remaining church left in the small township and has therefore become a focal point for community life and worship.