Avebury House, situated in a park setting at 9 Eveleyn Couzins Drive in Richmond, Christchurch, is a large two-storeyed timber dwelling built in 1885 to the designs of James Glanville for the prominent community-minded Flesher family. Alterations carried out in 1907, embellishing the north façade, were also to the designs of Glanville. The house’s survival as a place open to the community tells an important story of heritage retention following the drastic loss of homes in the immediate vicinity as a result of large scale demolitions and land clearance after the Canterbury Earthquakes of 2010-11. Avebury House has aesthetic, archaeological, architectural, historical and social significance or value.
Prominent early colonial settler, Dr J S Gundry, purchased a large parcel of rural land in the part of Christchurch now known as Richmond, as part of a suite of land purchases that he made in the early 1850s, and a cottage was built. In 1871 English settler, William Flesher purchased part of that land parcel and in the mid 1880s asked Christchurch architect, James Glanville, to design the large two-storeyed family home. Known as Avebury, it had a north-facing verandah on the ground floor and a single-storeyed service wing at the rear that, at that time, incorporated Dr Gundry’s earlier cottage on the site.
The appearance of Avebury House is largely that of the 1885 design with its 1907 additions. The building presents as a large two-storeyed timber dwelling, with a covered balcony and main entrance on the north front and corner tower at the north-west corner. Fabric evidence of the earlier 1850s cottage is no longer obvious but it is possible some elements survive in the single-storeyed wing at the south. Metal gates at the north-west corner of the large garden site and a single-storeyed brick building, formerly a motor garage, are part of the historic fabric of the site.
Avebury House and its grounds have undergone change over the years, but the house itself is clearly identifiable as that designed by Glanville. It was well documented in photographs in circa 1910, not long after 1907 alterations were carried out to the north façade for William’s son, James Flesher and his family. Garden party events and gatherings were held in the grounds, especially in the early twentieth century. In the mid twentieth century, the property came into the ownership of the Christchurch City Council and it has had a range of community-related uses since that time. Changes include alterations carried out when the building was converted to a youth hostel in the 1970s, notably the glazing in of the verandah and interior modifications. Avebury House survived the threat of demolition in the late 1990s to become a well-used community facility. The social connection with the community has increased over time, especially since the loss of thousands of homes to create the ‘red zone’ as a result of the Canterbury earthquakes of 2010-11. Many of the dislocated residents who had to move away from the Richmond/Avonside area have come to see Avebury House as a key connection to the area, a centre of community resurgence.
Prominent early colonial settler, Dr J S Gundry, purchased a large parcel of rural land in the part of Christchurch now known as Richmond, as part of a suite of land purchases that he made in the early 1850s, and a cottage was built. In 1871 English settler, William Flesher purchased part of that land parcel and in the mid 1880s asked Christchurch architect, James Glanville, to design the large two-storeyed family home. Known as Avebury, it had a north-facing verandah on the ground floor and a single-storeyed service wing at the rear that, at that time, incorporated Dr Gundry’s earlier cottage on the site.
The appearance of Avebury House is largely that of the 1885 design with its 1907 additions. The building presents as a large two-storeyed timber dwelling, with a covered balcony and main entrance on the north front and corner tower at the north-west corner. Fabric evidence of the earlier 1850s cottage is no longer obvious but it is possible some elements survive in the single-storeyed wing at the south. Metal gates at the north-west corner of the large garden site and a single-storeyed brick building, formerly a motor garage, are part of the historic fabric of the site.
Avebury House and its grounds have undergone change over the years, but the house itself is clearly identifiable as that designed by Glanville. It was well documented in photographs in circa 1910, not long after 1907 alterations were carried out to the north façade for William’s son, James Flesher and his family. Garden party events and gatherings were held in the grounds, especially in the early twentieth century. In the mid twentieth century, the property came into the ownership of the Christchurch City Council and it has had a range of community-related uses since that time. Changes include alterations carried out when the building was converted to a youth hostel in the 1970s, notably the glazing in of the verandah and interior modifications. Avebury House survived the threat of demolition in the late 1990s to become a well-used community facility. The social connection with the community has increased over time, especially since the loss of thousands of homes to create the ‘red zone’ as a result of the Canterbury earthquakes of 2010-11. Many of the dislocated residents who had to move away from the Richmond/Avonside area have come to see Avebury House as a key connection to the area, a centre of community resurgence.
