The Wellington City Council heritage inventory entry for the lychgate includes the following description: ‘The lychgate is a small structure, 3.0 x 2.7 metres in plan built with several distinct building materials. The foundation is concrete. The lower part of the walls are limestone blocks which support an open structure of large section timber posts, and the roof is timber framed with shaped rafters and modern Decramastic tiling as sheathing. The gables at either end are half-timbered with stucco infill panels between the timber. The structure is open on the cemetery side, with a gate on the road (west) side, and there is a seat on either side under the shelter of the roof.’ The half-timbering in the gables give the structure an Elizabethan style with an Arts and Crafts influence in the timberwork detailing.
Of the few lychgates currently (2012) registered on the NHZPT Register, only one is known to be a World War One memorial: located in the Church of St Mary the Virgin Historic Area in Addington, Christchurch (Register no. 7516) it was erected in 1921 as a memorial to those parishioners who had died during World War One. An unregistered World War One memorial lychgate exists in Eketahuna.
Karori Cemetery Lychgate has historic and symbolic value as a war memorial and for its association with the services’ part of Karori Cemetery, of which it forms the entrance. Its prominent location on the main thoroughfare into the cemetery, combined with its design of exposed dark timber framing with white stucco infill gives it aesthetic value.
List Entry Information
Status
Listed
List Entry Status
Historic Place Category 2
Access
Able to Visit
List Number
1400
Date Entered
25th November 1982
Date of Effect
25th November 1982
City/District Council
Wellington City
Region
Wellington Region
Extent of List Entry
Extent includes part of the land described as Lot 1 A 316 (RT WN485/211), Wellington Land District, and the structure known as Karori Cemetery Lychgate thereon.
Legal description
Lot 1 A 316 (RT WN485/211), Wellington Land District
Location Description
The lychgate is sited on the main thoroughfare into Karori Cemetery approximately 200 metres from the main entrance.
Status
Listed
List Entry Status
Historic Place Category 2
Access
Able to Visit
List Number
1400
Date Entered
25th November 1982
Date of Effect
25th November 1982
City/District Council
Wellington City
Region
Wellington Region
Extent of List Entry
Extent includes part of the land described as Lot 1 A 316 (RT WN485/211), Wellington Land District, and the structure known as Karori Cemetery Lychgate thereon.
Legal description
Lot 1 A 316 (RT WN485/211), Wellington Land District
Location Description
The lychgate is sited on the main thoroughfare into Karori Cemetery approximately 200 metres from the main entrance.
Construction Details
Start Year
1921
Type
Original Construction
Type
Modification
Description
Roof sheathing material replaced
Period
Unknown
Construction Details
Start Year
1921
Type
Original Construction
Type
Modification
Description
Roof sheathing material replaced
Period
Unknown
Historical and Associated Iwi / Hapū / Whānau
Completion Date
19th October 2012
Report Written By
Vivienne Morrell
Information Sources
Four Decades Conservation, 2003
Four Decades Conservation, Karori Cemetery Conservation Plan, prepared for the Wellington City Council, June 2003.
Other Information
This place was identified as significant under previous legislation with different information requirements. It remains significant under the current legislation. There is opportunity under our legislation and policies to add to this information. Further information about this place may be available from the Central Regional Office of Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga. A fully referenced proposal summary report is available from the Central Region office of NZHPT. Please note that entry on the New Zealand Heritage List/Rarangi Korero identifies only the heritage values of the property concerned, and should not be construed as advice on the state of the property, or as a comment of its soundness or safety, including in regard to earthquake risk, safety in the event of fire, or insanitary conditions.
Historical and Associated Iwi / Hapū / Whānau
Completion Date
19th October 2012
Report Written By
Vivienne Morrell
Information Sources
Four Decades Conservation, 2003
Four Decades Conservation, Karori Cemetery Conservation Plan, prepared for the Wellington City Council, June 2003.
Other Information
This place was identified as significant under previous legislation with different information requirements. It remains significant under the current legislation. There is opportunity under our legislation and policies to add to this information. Further information about this place may be available from the Central Regional Office of Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga. A fully referenced proposal summary report is available from the Central Region office of NZHPT. Please note that entry on the New Zealand Heritage List/Rarangi Korero identifies only the heritage values of the property concerned, and should not be construed as advice on the state of the property, or as a comment of its soundness or safety, including in regard to earthquake risk, safety in the event of fire, or insanitary conditions.
Current Usages
Uses: Commemoration
Specific Usage: Memorial - World War One
Uses: Religion
Specific Usage: Lych Gate
Former Usages
General Usage: Commemoration
Specific Usage: Memorial - World War One
General Usage: Religion
Specific Usage: Lych Gate
Current Usages
Uses: Commemoration
Specific Usage: Memorial - World War One
Uses: Religion
Specific Usage: Lych Gate
Former Usages
General Usage: Commemoration
Specific Usage: Memorial - World War One
General Usage: Religion
Specific Usage: Lych Gate
Stay up to date with Heritage this month
