Historic Sites : St Peter's Vicarage
St Peter's Vicarage
carved eagle lectern, the work of a Chinese man named Ah Tong, given in 1874. The two stained glass windows complement the building. The one over the alter dedicated to the memory of those parishioners who lost their lives in the second World War, depicts ‘the Call of St Peter’. The memorial to those who lost their lives in the first World War, takes the form of a plaque situated in the nave near the vestry door. The window over the font depicts the story of the Good Shepherd.The foundations of the Anglican or Episcopalian Church in the Wakatipu were laid by William Gilbert Rees, the first settler (see extra tip), who came to Queenstown in 1861. He was a devout Anglican and held regular services which were attended by the handful of men and one woman who worked for him. Later Rees was joined by a Lay Reader named Richmond Beetham. The first wooden church was built in 1863.
The church you see today at the corner of Church and Camp Streets was built in 1932. It was designed by J. McDowall Smith of Dunedin, modelled on a the traditional lines of the English parish church using Gothic details. The exterior walls were faced with greywacke stone obtained from the lake edge on the park peninsula. The funds for the building came from three main donators. One of them, Thomas Hicks who had given £ 1500, was honoured by the erection of the Lychgate.
The old wooden church was given to the neighbouring parish of Dunstan. It was dismantled, taken to Omakau and re-erected. It is named after St. Mary the Virgin.
St. Peter's Church contains some beautiful features. The most noteworthy is the carved Eagle Lectern from 1874, made by a Chinese man named Ah Tong. The church also has two beautiful stained glass windows.
If you stand in front of lovely St. Peter’s Church, left of it you see a nice creamy white wooden building. This is the church’s Parish Centre Hall.
In 2007, the Parish Hall and Vicarage were refurbished and rededicated, and – the most obvious change - relocated from their original to the area next to the church. They now make a great new facility for the advantage of the Wakatipu Community. On the other hand, the church itself looks a little squeezed into the space, and I liked the lawn and space around the church as it was before.
What makes the crowded space attractive again, at least for me, is the amalgamation of the church and the parish hall with the "Halo - Forbidden Bite" café which has a terrace right in front of the parish hall for outdoor dining. If you want, the church and the world united.
The Halo – Forbidden Bite serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, 7 days from 7 am to 9pm.
On a sunny day the terrace, framed by St. Peter’s and the parish hall, is one of the lovliest spots in the whole of Queenstown.
Among the early arrivals in the town was Richmond Beetham who was Resident Magistrate. He was a Lay Reader and very soon a small party of Anglicans with Rees and Beetham as their leaders had established an Anglican community and were holding Church services. The visit of Bishop Harper in March 1863 no doubt quickened the interest of the Anglicans and soon plans were
St Peters Church
in hand to build a Church on the present site for which arrangements had been made to purchase from the Provincial Government. Timber from the head of the Lake was used in the construction and the cost was largely financed by advances from some of the parishioners. There was a major setback in June when a storm badly damaged the partly built Church, but the determination of the congregation saw the building completed in July 1863. First Vicar Services and Sunday School continued on a regular basis taken by lay people and it, was not until early 1869, a Vicar, the Rev'd Richard Coffey, was appointed. Besides the pastoral care of Queenstown and Arrowtown Communities, the Vicar had to travel by foot and horseback over dangerous mountain tracks to minister to the scattered flock in remote to accommodate the Vicar and his family, a home was built and part of this building is still in use today as the Parish Centre. Over the years as the congregation increased, several additions were made to the Church building, the final one in 1906. At the same time as this extension was made, the present pipe organ was purchased second hand from All Saints, Dunedin. Its origin is not known but it is probably of English manufacture and was first installed in All Saints Church in 1874. In the previous year the hall in Earl Street was built. Two donations, one of the land, and the other of £250 to erect the building, both from parishioners, made this possible. The New Church The present Church was built in 1932 and being free from debt was consecrated by Bishop Richards, Bishop of Dunedin. The Church was designed by J. McDowall Smith of Dunedin, modelled on a the traditional lines of the English parish church using Gothic details. The exterior walls were faced with greywacke stone obtained from the lake edge on the park peninsula. Funds to build the Church came largely from three main sources, all legacies. The largest of £1500 was made in 1911 by Thomas Hicks to erect a Church in stone or concrete. In 1927 £300 came front Mr A.D. Lubeckie who had owned a business in the town in its early days and had been an office-bearer in the early church. In the same year £100 came from the estate of the first Vicar, the Rev'd Richard Coffey. As the large legacy by Thomas Hicks had made the new Church possible, the Lych-gate was erected by the parishioners in memory of this generous benefactor. The old wooden Church was given to the neighboring parish of Dunstan. It was dismantled, taken to Omakau and re-erected. The delightful old building is still in use serving the people of Omakau. It is named after St. Mary the Virgin.
Among the early arrivals in the town was Richmond Beetham who was Resident Magistrate. He was a Lay Reader and very soon a small party of Anglicans with Rees and Beetham as their leaders had established an Anglican community and were holding Church services. The visit of Bishop Harper in March 1863 no doubt quickened the interest of the Anglicans and soon plans were
St Peters Church
in hand to build a Church on the present site for which arrangements had been made to purchase from the Provincial Government. Timber from the head of the Lake was used in the construction and the cost was largely financed by advances from some of the parishioners. There was a major setback in June when a storm badly damaged the partly built Church, but the determination of the congregation saw the building completed in July 1863. First Vicar Services and Sunday School continued on a regular basis taken by lay people and it, was not until early 1869, a Vicar, the Rev'd Richard Coffey, was appointed. Besides the pastoral care of Queenstown and Arrowtown Communities, the Vicar had to travel by foot and horseback over dangerous mountain tracks to minister to the scattered flock in remote to accommodate the Vicar and his family, a home was built and part of this building is still in use today as the Parish Centre. Over the years as the congregation increased, several additions were made to the Church building, the final one in 1906. At the same time as this extension was made, the present pipe organ was purchased second hand from All Saints, Dunedin. Its origin is not known but it is probably of English manufacture and was first installed in All Saints Church in 1874. In the previous year the hall in Earl Street was built. Two donations, one of the land, and the other of £250 to erect the building, both from parishioners, made this possible. The New Church The present Church was built in 1932 and being free from debt was consecrated by Bishop Richards, Bishop of Dunedin. The Church was designed by J. McDowall Smith of Dunedin, modelled on a the traditional lines of the English parish church using Gothic details. The exterior walls were faced with greywacke stone obtained from the lake edge on the park peninsula. Funds to build the Church came largely from three main sources, all legacies. The largest of £1500 was made in 1911 by Thomas Hicks to erect a Church in stone or concrete. In 1927 £300 came front Mr A.D. Lubeckie who had owned a business in the town in its early days and had been an office-bearer in the early church. In the same year £100 came from the estate of the first Vicar, the Rev'd Richard Coffey. As the large legacy by Thomas Hicks had made the new Church possible, the Lych-gate was erected by the parishioners in memory of this generous benefactor. The old wooden Church was given to the neighboring parish of Dunstan. It was dismantled, taken to Omakau and re-erected. The delightful old building is still in use serving the people of Omakau. It is named after St. Mary the Virgin.
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