Old St Paul's

Old St Paul's is a small English Gothic Revival church translated into New Zealand materials, and the translation is the whole interest of it. Consecrated in 1866, it uses rimu, matai, totara and kauri throughout, with the roof trusses left exposed so that the structure is legible from the floor: arch braces, tie beams and rafters in dark, close-grained native wood. It served as the Anglican cathedral for the city for the best part of a century, was threatened with demolition when a new cathedral was built, and was kept instead as a historic place. Stained glass fills the aisle windows and the interior stays dark even at midday, which is part of the effect.

History

Bishop George Selwyn bought part of the site in 1845, the Reverend Frederick Thatcher designed the church, and Governor Grey laid its foundation stone on 21 August 1865; it was consecrated on 6 June 1866 and served as the pro-cathedral until 1964. Plans to demolish it for the new cathedral led to a ten-year campaign, and in 1967 the government bought it and vested it in the Historic Places Trust (Wikipedia, Old St Paul's, Wellington).

What's there

• The timber roof - exposed trusses and bracing in native rimu, matai and totara.
• The stained glass - aisle and chancel windows lighting an otherwise dark interior.
• The joinery - pews, screens and fittings worked from the same native timbers.
• The Thorndon setting - the small churchyard and the surrounding older streets.

When to go

Open most days for free, with a donation invited. Late morning gives the best light through the coloured glass, and the interior is genuinely dark on overcast Wellington days. The church is regularly booked for weddings, concerts and recordings, which close it to visitors at short notice, so the sensible move is to check the day's schedule before walking up.

Before you go

The building is small and thirty to forty minutes covers it comfortably. Interpretation is light, so you take away the atmosphere rather than the history unless you read up first. Closures for private events happen often and are not always posted in advance. The interior is too dim for casual photography without a tripod, which is not permitted. Street parking in Thorndon is difficult and metered.

Nearby

The Botanic Garden cable car, the waterfront and the older streets of Thorndon are within walking distance.

Key facts