Cultural Significance

Cultural: Presbyterian worship Social: The church replaced an earlier (1864-65) church which had become too small within only eight years of its completion, reflecting the growth in population Spiritual: Presbyterian faith.

Historic Significance

Historical Significance or Value Historical: The church is the mother church of Presbyterianism in North Otago

Physical Significance

Aesthetic: The church has a coherent and well resolved design which makes a contribution to the streetscape Archaeological: The church is built on the site of an earlier (1864-65) church Architectural: It is an outstanding example of the Gothic Revival style adapted to suit the requirements of the Presbyterian church and constructed of Oamaru limestone

Detail Of Assessed Criteria

The following comments are made in relation to the criteria identified under section 23(2) of the Historic Places Act 1993: (g) The technical accomplishment or value, or design of the place: St Paul's is an outstanding example of the Gothic Revival style adapted to suit the requirements of the Presbyterian church and constructed of Oamaru limestone. It was designed by Thomas Forrester and built in 1874-76. It can be considered within the sphere of Forrester's extensive portfolio and alongside other Gothic Revival churches dating from a similar period. A Scotsman himself, Forrester worked under Mason and Clayton and then R. A. Lawson in Dunedin before entering partnership with John Lemon in Oamaru in 1872. Forrester was responsible for most of the design work. The partnership made an enormous contribution to Oamaru's nineteenth century character. They were particularly known for their commercial and public buildings and designed only three churches. In his thesis on the architecture of Forrester and Lemon, P.A. McCarthy states their "major achievement was the virtual creation of the Oamaru townscape during the key period of the town's growth and prosperity" (p.vii), and of their commercial work "references from Renaissance, Baroque, Venetian and Palladian sources, were generally referred to by contemporaries as 'Italianate'" (p.42) Thomas Forrester is largely known for his Italian Renaissance Palazzo style buildings, and is not so well known for his designs in other historical styles such as, eg: Jacobethan Collegiate, as found at Waitaki Boys High or Gothic Revival, as found at St Paul's and at St Luke's, Oamaru, where he was associated with the design. Examples of Forrester and Lemon's commercial and public work includes Oamaru's Custom House (1883-84, Category I), Criterion Hotel (1877, Category I), Courthouse (1882, Category I), the former AMP Society building (1871-86, Category I), Harbour Board Office (1876, Category I), the Union Bank of Australia (1878, Category I) and Waitaki Boys' High School Main Block (1881-83, Category I). Of his other two churches, a "Corinthian Grecian" building for the Emmanuel Congregational Church (1882) was demolished in 1912 and Columba's Church (1881-83) is of a conservative Classical design which follows Glaswegian Presbyterian precedents. St Paul's is a very finely executed essay in Ecclesiological Gothic. On these grounds alone, there is no doubt that the place increases our understanding and appreciation of Forrester's work. The quality of the tracery and handling of Gothic detail is particularly impressive. Perhaps more importantly, given the serious purpose of Ecclesiological Gothic the feature that stands out at St Paul's is its Romantic and even light hearted quality. It is interesting to note that the original design of St Paul's proposed a tower on the main facade, and had the tower been built the appearance of the church would have been much more sober and infinitely more conventional and solemn than it is now. By virtue of circumstance, however, the tower was not built and instead a tourelle, or little tower, was built in place of the proposed tower projecting out from the angle of the nave and front gable. In hindsight it can be argued that this was a happy circumstance for the design of the church, since Forrester has given the tourelle a very Romantic touch by placing on it a tall slated polygonal roof with a little lancet gallery beneath in which to hang a bell. It is the sort of tower found more often on Gothic Revival buildings in Germany and France, and in a literary context the appearance of tourelles and bartizans like the one on St Paul's, found favour with Romantics like the brothers Grimm, or King Ludwig II of Bavaria who commissioned Neuschwanstein to be built as a Gothic Wagnerian fantasy. The latter building is well known for its characteristic towers, tourelles and bartizans. Of sizeable ecclesiastical buildings currently classified in Oamaru, the Classical St Patrick's (Catholic) Basilica (1894, 1903 and 1918) and Gothic Revival St Luke's (Anglican) Church (1865-66, 1875-76, 1913 and 1922) are both Category I. Like St Paul's both are constructed of Oamaru limestone. St Luke's has been described as "an accurate translation of Ecclesiologists principles to colonial conditions, and ... contrast(ing) ... Thomas Forrester's much freer interpretation of the Gothic style (at St Paul's)" (McCarthy, p.78). This "freer interpretation" is appropriate for a Presbyterian church as opposed to the Anglican denomination with which High Victorian Early English Gothic is often associated. The cruciform plan is adapted to the requirements of congregational worship and has a front porch. By Gothic standards the pitch of the roof is somewhat splayed and gives a feeling of airiness which is contrasted by the steep gable of the front porch. Due to financial constrains there is no tower. Carvings by stonemason Gustav Deihl contrast the simplicity encouraged by the Ecclesiologists. Internally, the arched bracing of the rafters alludes to a vault. Stained glass windows are in fourteen groups dating from 1876 to 1976 and allow a play of coloured natural light on the pale limestone walls. The building is well crafted and the use of lancet arches, trefoils, quatrefoils and sexfoils is consistent. Two outstanding (Category I) Gothic Revival Presbyterian churches are First Church (1865-73), Dunedin, and Knox Church (completed 1876), Dunedin. Both were designed by R. A. Lawson and are considerably more uplifting than St Paul's with soaring towers and the repeated use of pinnacles. Of other denominations, Holy Trinity (Anglican) Church, Avonside, Christchurch (1874077, 1905, Category I), St Matthew's (Anglican) Church, Dunedin (1874, Category I), and the Fortune Theatre (former Methodist Church), Dunedin (1869-70, Category I), can also be considered in assessing St Paul's, Oamaru. CONCLUSION: As a result of its technological value as seen in its architectural design, St Paul's is deserving of Category I registration. Designed by Thomas Forrester and built in 1874-76, it is an outstanding example of the Gothic Revival style adapted to suit the requirements of the Presbyterian church and constructed of Oamaru limestone. Other criteria contribute to its overall significance but are not considered to be outstanding individually.