Church halls have long held an important role in the life of their
communities for meetings, events, receptions, social services, administration
and have often been at the heart of fundraising activities.
St
John's Cathedral Hall today.
Photo: Alison Dangerfield, NZHPT
Concerns about imminent demolition of the St Johns Cathedral Hall in
Napier City has prompted the New Zealand Historic Places Trust (NZHPT)
to issue an interim registration order. Consent for the demolition of
the Cathedral Hall is pending from Napier City Council. The building has
no protection, even though it lies within a registered historic area.
St
John's Cathedral and its Hall before the earthquake.
Photo: Hawke's Bay Museum & Art Gallery
New information about the heritage values of the Cathedral Hall suggests
it is much more significant than at first glance. NZHPT wants sufficient
time for the heritage values and future options for the hall to be properly
assessed and for the wider community to have a say.
Surprisingly few Napierians know that the hall survived the 1931 earthquake
fairly intact.
The
cathedral hall stands as a lonely survivor amongst the rubble and
destruction left in the wake of the 1931 earthquake.
Photo: Hawke's Bay Museum & Art Gallery
While the building lost its neo-gothic bell tower, the horizontal concrete
bands and intriguing brickwork around the windows survived along with
the parapet. Sadly, the Mountfort-designed Cathedral along side was reduced
to rubble. Later additions to the hall have been less sympathetic.
Photo:
Alison Dangerfield, NZHPT
While NZHPT respects the church's wish to develop the site to meet their
needs, new information from photographs and archival records suggests
that the heritage values may be greater than previously considered. A
building that might be overlooked easily could turn out to be one of the
most interesting in Napier City's Art Deco precinct - with one foot in
the 19th Century Gothic Revival style and the other in the Modern Movement.
Photo:
Alison Dangerfield, NZHPT
With pending consideration of World Heritage listing, it is important
that the preservation of all the inner city's heritage buildings is taken
seriously. While most buildings in the city's Art Deco precinct are from
this era, it also includes other quality buildings that all have a part
to play in telling the story of Napier and attracting tourists from around
the world.
Interim registration provides time for NZHPT to work with the Diocese
of Waiapu, Napier City Council and the wider community, to do more research
and study the best options with a view to heritage values, costs, earthquake
strengthening and re-use potential. Ultimately, heritage protection lies
with Napier City Council's District Plan.
If you have any questions, or have information or photographs to share
about St John's Cathedral Hall, please contact
Central Regional Office
P O Box 9173
Wellington
Tel: 04 801 5088
Fax: 04 802 5180
Email: infocentral@historic.org.nz
Update: Registration
The Waiapu Diocesan Office Building and former Synod Hall, known to
most locals as the St John's Cathedral Hall, is recommended for Category
I registration by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust. Research just
completed reveals a large amount that was previously unknown about the
building.
Exciting concept plans released by the NZHPT Places Trust show that
redevelopment of the St John's Cathedral site could enable the church
to build the new hall and at the same time retain the former hall
The schematic site plan The new hall's location on the site captures
additional sun and light and could be a very welcoming space.
If
you are able,