St George’s Anglican Church, designed by [prominent Dunedin architect Robert Arthur Lawson with construction supervised by] Maniototo County Engineer Richard Browne and built of concrete in 1874 is the first place of worship to be built of concrete in New Zealand and is of special significance. In addition its beautifully crafted interior timber work, including religious furniture and fittings made by William Jacob add to its special significance. This modest building is an important element in the historic streetscape of the former gold mining settlement of Naseby in Central Otago.
Bishop Selwyn preached his first sermon in Naseby from in front of the billiard table at the Old Victorian Hotel with the service attended by people of many denominations. Attendees agreed that a church and manse would be built. The building of St George’s Church represents the period of development in the Anglican Church which saw the consolidation of communities and a steady building programme which saw many new churches constructed in small towns. During Bishop Nevill’s episcopate, twenty two new places of worship were opened. Anglican Church theologians of the Victorian period maintained that spirituality was the chief concern of the church and that ‘expression of this spirituality’ was an essential part of the services and of the church buildings.
The church was designed by [prominent Dunedin architect R.A. Lawson, and probably supervised by Maniototo County engineer Richard Henry Browne (1843-1907), an important figure in the Otago province. English born Browne’s [would have been familiar with working with concrete because of his engineering background]. As an engineer it can be assumed that he was familiar with it as a construction material. The early use of concrete for a church is of special significance.
St George’s Anglican Church sits on west side of Derwent Street, the main thoroughfare of the small Otago settlement of Naseby. The Church is located south of the diminutive commercial centre of this goldfields era town. Many of the buildings are of small scale with the town noted for its special historic streetscape. St George’s is a single-gabled church with a lean-to addition (the vestry) on the rear elevation, and a steeply peaked external narthex (entrance porch). A small free standing bell tower constructed of timber with a corrugated iron roof sits alongside the Church. The Church is built of concrete in a Gothic style, with a corrugated iron roof. The render on the concrete has been incised to look like stone blocks.
The form of the Church is simple. The sanctuary and the nave are in their own gables, the sanctuary being the smaller of the two. There is a triple lancet stained glass window on the gable end of the sanctuary, set within its own lancet arch. There are three lancet window openings on each side of the nave. The narthex is structurally separate from the main gable form. The double timber lancet doors are set within their own small gable. On the east side of the porch, set just under the roof line are four tiny lancet windows set back in the wall. A concrete block vestry has been added to the rear of Church.
The narthex is a small square space. The steeply pitched roof is lined with timber, echoing the lining of the main body of the Church. Entering the nave, the font is just inside the door. There is a timber lancet door in the rear wall which provides access to the vestry. The vaulted ceiling is timber with scissor braces, the detailing reflecting the simplicity of the overall design. The main arched doors and the arch separating the sanctuary from the nave have painted banners with biblical texts around the arches. Memorial plaques and a memorial window mark the contribution and involvement of parishioners is fixed to the walls of the nave. The timber furniture in the Church is significant, built by the contractor William Jacob. The pew, carved choir stalls, lectern, altar rails and chairs are all masterfully built and carefully detailed. These make a special contribution to the church interior.
In 2010 St George’s Church is still a place of worship for the Anglican community in and around Naseby. Scheduled worship is every third Sunday of the month. The beauty and special character of the Church with its original religious furniture are recognised by the parish and by visitors to the town who are fortunate enough to make their way through the lancet doors into this welcoming and special Church.
Bishop Selwyn preached his first sermon in Naseby from in front of the billiard table at the Old Victorian Hotel with the service attended by people of many denominations. Attendees agreed that a church and manse would be built. The building of St George’s Church represents the period of development in the Anglican Church which saw the consolidation of communities and a steady building programme which saw many new churches constructed in small towns. During Bishop Nevill’s episcopate, twenty two new places of worship were opened. Anglican Church theologians of the Victorian period maintained that spirituality was the chief concern of the church and that ‘expression of this spirituality’ was an essential part of the services and of the church buildings.
The church was designed by [prominent Dunedin architect R.A. Lawson, and probably supervised by Maniototo County engineer Richard Henry Browne (1843-1907), an important figure in the Otago province. English born Browne’s [would have been familiar with working with concrete because of his engineering background]. As an engineer it can be assumed that he was familiar with it as a construction material. The early use of concrete for a church is of special significance.
St George’s Anglican Church sits on west side of Derwent Street, the main thoroughfare of the small Otago settlement of Naseby. The Church is located south of the diminutive commercial centre of this goldfields era town. Many of the buildings are of small scale with the town noted for its special historic streetscape. St George’s is a single-gabled church with a lean-to addition (the vestry) on the rear elevation, and a steeply peaked external narthex (entrance porch). A small free standing bell tower constructed of timber with a corrugated iron roof sits alongside the Church. The Church is built of concrete in a Gothic style, with a corrugated iron roof. The render on the concrete has been incised to look like stone blocks.
The form of the Church is simple. The sanctuary and the nave are in their own gables, the sanctuary being the smaller of the two. There is a triple lancet stained glass window on the gable end of the sanctuary, set within its own lancet arch. There are three lancet window openings on each side of the nave. The narthex is structurally separate from the main gable form. The double timber lancet doors are set within their own small gable. On the east side of the porch, set just under the roof line are four tiny lancet windows set back in the wall. A concrete block vestry has been added to the rear of Church.
The narthex is a small square space. The steeply pitched roof is lined with timber, echoing the lining of the main body of the Church. Entering the nave, the font is just inside the door. There is a timber lancet door in the rear wall which provides access to the vestry. The vaulted ceiling is timber with scissor braces, the detailing reflecting the simplicity of the overall design. The main arched doors and the arch separating the sanctuary from the nave have painted banners with biblical texts around the arches. Memorial plaques and a memorial window mark the contribution and involvement of parishioners is fixed to the walls of the nave. The timber furniture in the Church is significant, built by the contractor William Jacob. The pew, carved choir stalls, lectern, altar rails and chairs are all masterfully built and carefully detailed. These make a special contribution to the church interior.
In 2010 St George’s Church is still a place of worship for the Anglican community in and around Naseby. Scheduled worship is every third Sunday of the month. The beauty and special character of the Church with its original religious furniture are recognised by the parish and by visitors to the town who are fortunate enough to make their way through the lancet doors into this welcoming and special Church.
