St Paul’s Presbyterian Church, built in 1876 to Thomas Forrester’s English Gothic Revival design, has special historical, architectural and spiritual significance. The church, with its finely detailed stonework, richly-coloured stained glass memorial windows and striking interior with kauri joinery, is a landmark building in Oamaru’s historic streetscape.
Reverend William Johnstone preached the first Presbyterian sermon in Oamaru to the faithful seated on wool sacks and bales in Hassell’s woolshed on Thames Street in February 1860. Architects Mason and Clayton designed the first St Paul’s Presbyterian Church, consecrated by the Reverend Thomas Burns on 9 April 1865, the building known as the ‘Scotch Church’. By 1869, the second minister, Reverend Alexander Todd, was struggling with an overcrowded church.
The congregation formed a building committee and engaged Oamaru architect Thomas Forrester to design a new church building, reusing and incorporating, as much as possible, the structure and materials from the old church. Stone masons D. Miller and Company built Forrester’s ‘Early English’ style church. The new church was consecrated on 20 February 1876. Architectural historian Conal McCarthy writes that while following the English Gothic Revival style, the plan and form of St Paul’s copy R.A. Lawson’s First Church, Dunedin. The cruciform plan was ‘adapted to the requirements of congregational worship’, stressing preaching, with the 600-700 worshippers facing the pulpit. The North Otago Times described the new church as ‘one of the handsomest, if not the most handsome, building in Oamaru.’ The exterior was ‘exceptionally fine’ with its decorative stone work and belfry with an octagonal tower. The interior, with its nave, two transepts, a vestry and session room, was noted for the use of kauri, the fine kauri pulpit, the decorative stone tracery and the traceried and stained glass windows.
A two-manual pipe organ was installed in 1892. In 1909, the spire was taken down and rebuilt. In 1913, in anticipation of the jubilee, the church was renovated and repairs made to the stone work.
Over the years, memorial stained glass windows have been added. The Ladies’ Guild contributed largely to the cost of a memorial window to those who lost their lives in World War One. Later memorial windows are dedicated to the Reverend Dr Paterson, minister from 1939 to 1944, who died unexpectedly, and to those who died in World War Two. The stained glass windows of St Paul’s are impressive. They span one hundred years of church life, the first dedicated in 1876, and the latest in 1976. The windows are traditional in design, depicting stories of the life of Jesus. The memorial windows are dedicated to people and outstanding events in the life of the congregation. The beautiful imagery and the play of light and colour contrast with the white stone.
The centenary of the parish saw alterations to and cleaning of the interior, the rebuilding of the organ, and the addition of further stained glass windows. The church was rededicated on 16 September 1962. The centennial of the church itself saw the installation and dedication of the Gilchrist Memorial window.
In 2007, the exterior of the church was restored, with a grant from the Otago/Southland synod. The decorative stonework, some of which was eroding, needed restored.
In 2015, St Paul’s Presbyterian Church remains the spiritual centre for Presbyterian worship and a landmark building in Oamaru.
Reverend William Johnstone preached the first Presbyterian sermon in Oamaru to the faithful seated on wool sacks and bales in Hassell’s woolshed on Thames Street in February 1860. Architects Mason and Clayton designed the first St Paul’s Presbyterian Church, consecrated by the Reverend Thomas Burns on 9 April 1865, the building known as the ‘Scotch Church’. By 1869, the second minister, Reverend Alexander Todd, was struggling with an overcrowded church.
The congregation formed a building committee and engaged Oamaru architect Thomas Forrester to design a new church building, reusing and incorporating, as much as possible, the structure and materials from the old church. Stone masons D. Miller and Company built Forrester’s ‘Early English’ style church. The new church was consecrated on 20 February 1876. Architectural historian Conal McCarthy writes that while following the English Gothic Revival style, the plan and form of St Paul’s copy R.A. Lawson’s First Church, Dunedin. The cruciform plan was ‘adapted to the requirements of congregational worship’, stressing preaching, with the 600-700 worshippers facing the pulpit. The North Otago Times described the new church as ‘one of the handsomest, if not the most handsome, building in Oamaru.’ The exterior was ‘exceptionally fine’ with its decorative stone work and belfry with an octagonal tower. The interior, with its nave, two transepts, a vestry and session room, was noted for the use of kauri, the fine kauri pulpit, the decorative stone tracery and the traceried and stained glass windows.
A two-manual pipe organ was installed in 1892. In 1909, the spire was taken down and rebuilt. In 1913, in anticipation of the jubilee, the church was renovated and repairs made to the stone work.
Over the years, memorial stained glass windows have been added. The Ladies’ Guild contributed largely to the cost of a memorial window to those who lost their lives in World War One. Later memorial windows are dedicated to the Reverend Dr Paterson, minister from 1939 to 1944, who died unexpectedly, and to those who died in World War Two. The stained glass windows of St Paul’s are impressive. They span one hundred years of church life, the first dedicated in 1876, and the latest in 1976. The windows are traditional in design, depicting stories of the life of Jesus. The memorial windows are dedicated to people and outstanding events in the life of the congregation. The beautiful imagery and the play of light and colour contrast with the white stone.
The centenary of the parish saw alterations to and cleaning of the interior, the rebuilding of the organ, and the addition of further stained glass windows. The church was rededicated on 16 September 1962. The centennial of the church itself saw the installation and dedication of the Gilchrist Memorial window.
In 2007, the exterior of the church was restored, with a grant from the Otago/Southland synod. The decorative stonework, some of which was eroding, needed restored.
In 2015, St Paul’s Presbyterian Church remains the spiritual centre for Presbyterian worship and a landmark building in Oamaru.
