This historic area was registered under the Historic Places Act 1993. This report includes text from the original Historic Area Assessment Under Section 23 Criteria report considered by the NZHPT Board at the time of registration.
Historical Background:
On the 28th September 1858, Queen Victoria through the Letters of Patent established the Bishopric of Nelson in the town of Nelson, to be a Bishops See and the seat of the Bishop. The original Document is held in the Nelson Anglican Centre.
Edmund Hobhouse, on the 29th September 1858, was consecrated a Bishop in London for Nelson, New Zealand. He arrived in Nelson the following year and announced the need for a Bishop's residence. In 1862 he purchased 158 acres (4 parcels of land) in S. Nelson for a Bishop's residence, to be known as Bishopdale. In June 1866 Hobhouse in a Trust Deed gifted the Bishopdale Estate through the General Synod to the Nelson Diocese. Trustees for the first 10 year's were Bishop Selwyn, Bishop of New Zealand, Bishop Patterson of Melanesia and Sir William Martin, Chief Justice of New Zealand. In 1867 Bishop Suter arrived in Nelson.
The first residence at Bishopdale was opened in September 1868 and the Theological College commenced in 1868. In 1876 Maxwell Bury was commissioned to design a Chapel to cater for students and for local residents.
The following year, the Chapel of the Holy Evangelists was consecrated. In the same year, Bishopdale College was affiliated to the University of New Zealand. By 1886, of twenty students in New Zealand who had gained the Licentiate of Theology, nine had obtained it at Bishopdale.
This was a significant year for another reason, Bishop Suter met Frederick Bennett at a village close to Mt Tarawera and brought him to complete his education at Bishop School in Nelson, ( Category II), and then at the Bishopdale Theological College where he was ordained. In 1928, Bishop Bennett was consecrated as the first Bishop of Aotearoa.
Bishop Suter, retired owing to ill-health in 1891, he was succeeded by Bishop Mules in 1892 and he remained as Bishop of Nelson until 1912. Bishop Sadlier (1912-34) was instrumental in the development of the new residence and upgrading the Chapel. Bishopdale Theological College, which had closed in 1909 due to the growth of the universities was re-opened by Bishop Sadlier in 1912 to train men to staff the scattered Diocese, but it closed again in 1915 owing to WWI. During the early 1920's a commission looked at the Bishopdale Estate. It was decided to sell the farmland which was of poor quality and to build a new house. In 1924, the first residence at Bishopdale was pulled down because of poor state of repair and the closure of the College made it too large.
At a cost of 5267 pounds, the new residence, designed by William Houlker, opened in 1925. The Chapel in 1925 had new flooring and electricity installed. Successive Bishops of Nelson from the 1930's to early 1950's period were Bishop Hilliard, Bishop Stephenson and Bishop Hulme Moir from 1954 - 1965.
Large attendances at interdenominational Conventions were held at Bishopdale regularly during Bishop Hulme Moir's period in office. Regular public services were held at Bishopdale during both Bishop Stephenson's and Bishop Hulme Moir's time continuing under Bishop Peter Sutton 1965 - 1990 as an important part of Bishopdale life. These ceased in 1993/94.
1970 was another landmark year for Bishopdale. The residence and grounds had had few improvements since the second dwelling was built in 1925. Parking was provided for the Chapel, a sealed driveway laid and the grounds opened up for the public. In 1976 approximately 5 acres of the remaining 10 were sold to the City as a permanent reserve. This circles as an L round the property from Waimea Road and is known as the Bishopdale Reserve. At present, there is no fence between the properties.
The New Zealand Historic Places Trust gave $2000 for the Bishopdale Chapel in 1976. Borer was rife in the foundations of the Chapel and this money was used to help stabilise the foundations. The then Chairman of the Trust Board, Sir Alister McIntosh announced this at a public meeting in Nelson. (Nelson Evening Mail, 19 June 1976). The Board was meeting in Nelson at that time.
To celebrate the centenary of the Chapel in 1977, a bronze plaque was installed by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust. Other celebrations included 'son et lurniere' which enacted 100 years of life at Bishopdale and was attended by some 800 people. During the celebrations a font pedestal was dedicated in memory of Frederick Bennett first Bishop of Aotearoa, carved by his son Hemi Bennett.
In 1979 Bishopdale College reopened primarily for lay people, (non residential.). In 1983, 22 graduates received their diplomas from the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev. Dr Robert Runcie, together with Terry Waite and the Archbishop's Chaplain, Richard Chartres, now Bishop of London - they stayed at Bishopdale. During these years, many distinguished overseas scholars gave lectures including Dr Owen Chadwick,O.M.
Recent Events:
Bishop Sutton retired in 1990 and was succeeded by Bishop Derek Eaton, Q.S.M.
The following years saw extensive domestic renovations to the house. However, in October 1997, the Synod voted on the recommendation of a Property Advisory Committee to sell the property, excluding the Chapel and so long as provision could be made for housing the Bishop.
What followed was a series of actions expressing great concern at the proposed sale. A public meeting was called and a committee formed to look at all aspects of the intended sale. The Nelson Mail printed a feature on Bishopdale and also reported on a recent service of baptisms by Immersion taken by the present Bishop. In early 1998, Friends of Bishopdale circulated a paper 'Case for keeping Bishopdale' and a petition opposing a sale of the property gained some 1800 signatures. This was presented to the Standing Committee. The Friends of Bishopdale was founded as an Incorporated Society in June 1998.
In August that year, following advice from the Nelson Diocesan Trust Board that it had the legal right to sell the Bishopdale property, the Friends applied to the High Court for a declaratory judgement interpreting the 1866 Hobhouse Trust, to determine whether a sale of the Bishopdale property consisting of the house, grounds and chapel would constitute a breach of the Hobhouse Trust. This was not upheld by the Court.
In December 1999, the Bishopdale property went on the market. The Estate could be subdivided into 4 lots, with the Chapel and carpark being Lot 1, the groundsman's cottage and workshop lots 3 and 4 and the large remainder Lot 2 including the Bishop's residence. The proposed subdivision does not alter the registration proposal. Access to the Chapel remains via a Right of Way on the existing drive. The Diocesan Trust Board has had the property on the market since December last, but to date no sale has occurred.
As late as February 2000, it was learnt that the ground under the consecrated Chapel was included in the sale, the land to be leased back to the Diocese on a peppercorn rental. The Chapel remains church property.
Historical Background:
On the 28th September 1858, Queen Victoria through the Letters of Patent established the Bishopric of Nelson in the town of Nelson, to be a Bishops See and the seat of the Bishop. The original Document is held in the Nelson Anglican Centre.
Edmund Hobhouse, on the 29th September 1858, was consecrated a Bishop in London for Nelson, New Zealand. He arrived in Nelson the following year and announced the need for a Bishop's residence. In 1862 he purchased 158 acres (4 parcels of land) in S. Nelson for a Bishop's residence, to be known as Bishopdale. In June 1866 Hobhouse in a Trust Deed gifted the Bishopdale Estate through the General Synod to the Nelson Diocese. Trustees for the first 10 year's were Bishop Selwyn, Bishop of New Zealand, Bishop Patterson of Melanesia and Sir William Martin, Chief Justice of New Zealand. In 1867 Bishop Suter arrived in Nelson.
The first residence at Bishopdale was opened in September 1868 and the Theological College commenced in 1868. In 1876 Maxwell Bury was commissioned to design a Chapel to cater for students and for local residents.
The following year, the Chapel of the Holy Evangelists was consecrated. In the same year, Bishopdale College was affiliated to the University of New Zealand. By 1886, of twenty students in New Zealand who had gained the Licentiate of Theology, nine had obtained it at Bishopdale.
This was a significant year for another reason, Bishop Suter met Frederick Bennett at a village close to Mt Tarawera and brought him to complete his education at Bishop School in Nelson, ( Category II), and then at the Bishopdale Theological College where he was ordained. In 1928, Bishop Bennett was consecrated as the first Bishop of Aotearoa.
Bishop Suter, retired owing to ill-health in 1891, he was succeeded by Bishop Mules in 1892 and he remained as Bishop of Nelson until 1912. Bishop Sadlier (1912-34) was instrumental in the development of the new residence and upgrading the Chapel. Bishopdale Theological College, which had closed in 1909 due to the growth of the universities was re-opened by Bishop Sadlier in 1912 to train men to staff the scattered Diocese, but it closed again in 1915 owing to WWI. During the early 1920's a commission looked at the Bishopdale Estate. It was decided to sell the farmland which was of poor quality and to build a new house. In 1924, the first residence at Bishopdale was pulled down because of poor state of repair and the closure of the College made it too large.
At a cost of 5267 pounds, the new residence, designed by William Houlker, opened in 1925. The Chapel in 1925 had new flooring and electricity installed. Successive Bishops of Nelson from the 1930's to early 1950's period were Bishop Hilliard, Bishop Stephenson and Bishop Hulme Moir from 1954 - 1965.
Large attendances at interdenominational Conventions were held at Bishopdale regularly during Bishop Hulme Moir's period in office. Regular public services were held at Bishopdale during both Bishop Stephenson's and Bishop Hulme Moir's time continuing under Bishop Peter Sutton 1965 - 1990 as an important part of Bishopdale life. These ceased in 1993/94.
1970 was another landmark year for Bishopdale. The residence and grounds had had few improvements since the second dwelling was built in 1925. Parking was provided for the Chapel, a sealed driveway laid and the grounds opened up for the public. In 1976 approximately 5 acres of the remaining 10 were sold to the City as a permanent reserve. This circles as an L round the property from Waimea Road and is known as the Bishopdale Reserve. At present, there is no fence between the properties.
The New Zealand Historic Places Trust gave $2000 for the Bishopdale Chapel in 1976. Borer was rife in the foundations of the Chapel and this money was used to help stabilise the foundations. The then Chairman of the Trust Board, Sir Alister McIntosh announced this at a public meeting in Nelson. (Nelson Evening Mail, 19 June 1976). The Board was meeting in Nelson at that time.
To celebrate the centenary of the Chapel in 1977, a bronze plaque was installed by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust. Other celebrations included 'son et lurniere' which enacted 100 years of life at Bishopdale and was attended by some 800 people. During the celebrations a font pedestal was dedicated in memory of Frederick Bennett first Bishop of Aotearoa, carved by his son Hemi Bennett.
In 1979 Bishopdale College reopened primarily for lay people, (non residential.). In 1983, 22 graduates received their diplomas from the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev. Dr Robert Runcie, together with Terry Waite and the Archbishop's Chaplain, Richard Chartres, now Bishop of London - they stayed at Bishopdale. During these years, many distinguished overseas scholars gave lectures including Dr Owen Chadwick,O.M.
Recent Events:
Bishop Sutton retired in 1990 and was succeeded by Bishop Derek Eaton, Q.S.M.
The following years saw extensive domestic renovations to the house. However, in October 1997, the Synod voted on the recommendation of a Property Advisory Committee to sell the property, excluding the Chapel and so long as provision could be made for housing the Bishop.
What followed was a series of actions expressing great concern at the proposed sale. A public meeting was called and a committee formed to look at all aspects of the intended sale. The Nelson Mail printed a feature on Bishopdale and also reported on a recent service of baptisms by Immersion taken by the present Bishop. In early 1998, Friends of Bishopdale circulated a paper 'Case for keeping Bishopdale' and a petition opposing a sale of the property gained some 1800 signatures. This was presented to the Standing Committee. The Friends of Bishopdale was founded as an Incorporated Society in June 1998.
In August that year, following advice from the Nelson Diocesan Trust Board that it had the legal right to sell the Bishopdale property, the Friends applied to the High Court for a declaratory judgement interpreting the 1866 Hobhouse Trust, to determine whether a sale of the Bishopdale property consisting of the house, grounds and chapel would constitute a breach of the Hobhouse Trust. This was not upheld by the Court.
In December 1999, the Bishopdale property went on the market. The Estate could be subdivided into 4 lots, with the Chapel and carpark being Lot 1, the groundsman's cottage and workshop lots 3 and 4 and the large remainder Lot 2 including the Bishop's residence. The proposed subdivision does not alter the registration proposal. Access to the Chapel remains via a Right of Way on the existing drive. The Diocesan Trust Board has had the property on the market since December last, but to date no sale has occurred.
As late as February 2000, it was learnt that the ground under the consecrated Chapel was included in the sale, the land to be leased back to the Diocese on a peppercorn rental. The Chapel remains church property.
