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Historic New Zealand - Pouhere Taonga

Fortune Theatre

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231 Stuart Street, DUNEDIN

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Fortune Theatre
Fortune Theatre. Photographed by Derek Smith. Copyright NZ Historic Places Trust

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Photographed by Derek Smith. Copyright NZ Historic Places Trust

Enlarge image

Registration Type
Historic Place Category 1
 
Register Number
3378
 
Date Registered
22-Aug-1991
 
Legal Description
Pt Sec 16 Blk 14 Town of Dunedin
 
City/District Council
Dunedin City
 
Region
Otago Region
 
Summary
DESCRIPTION:

As a church this building was a significant aspect of the development of Methodism in Dunedin.

It was erected in 1869 to replace an earlier Methodist Church which had proved to be architecturally unviable. The building was sold in 1977 to the Fortune Theatre Trust, and is currently used as a playhouse theatre.
 
Historical Significance
This building, as Trinity Church, represents part of the development of the Methodist Church in Dunedin. Its significant change from a place of worship to a playhouse in 1977 was an example of an innovative and successful reuse of a redundant ecclesiastical building.
 
Physical Significance
ARCHITECTURAL QUALITY:

Designed and built by one of Dunedin's leading architects in the late nineteenth century, and using an architectural style and construction which is a feature of Dunedin city, the former Holy Trinity Church was a very fine smaller scale church. On the Fortune Theatre it maintains its architectural integrity and streetscape quality.



TOWNSCAPE/LANDMARK VALUE:

The Fortune Theatre occupies a prominent inner city corner, and forms part of an architecturally attractive streetscape.
 
 
 
 
Construction Professionals
 
Notable Features
Stonework; bar tracery of windows.
 
Construction Dates
  • Modification: 1966 (circa)
  • Modification: 1977 (circa)
  • Original Construction: 1870 (circa)
 
Construction Details
Local bluestone with Oamaru stone facings and decoration, slate roof.
 
Information Sources
  • Cyclopedia Company, Industrial, descriptive, historical, biographical facts, figures, illustrations, Wellington, N.Z, 1897-1908, Vol. 4 Otago and Southland, Cyclopedia Company, Christchurch, 1905,p185
  • Hardwicke Knight and Niel Wales, Buildings of Dunedin: An Illustrated Architectural Guide to New Zealand's Victorian City, John McIndoe, Dunedin, 1988,p126-154
  • D S Mullan. The Trinity Fortune Affair, Trinity Methodist Trust, Dunedin, 1981,,p5-6
 
 
Other Information
This historic place was registered under the Historic Places Act 1980. This report includes the text from the original Building Classification Committee report considered by the NZHPT Board at the time of registration.
 

 

Information on this page is correct to the best of the Trust's knowledge. If you have any additional information you would like to share with the Trust, please contact the Registrar. You may wish to contact the Trust to view our paper records.