Kete Horowhenua

Construction date	1897
Architect	Frederick de Jersey Clere

Constructed in 1897, the wooden church was designed by Frederick de Jersey Clere.

The wooden structure proved to be too small, unsafe (the steeple came down in a storm) and not weatherproof. In 1920 the Vicar suggested replacing it but this proved to be a slow project and it was not until 1956 that the replacement church, made of reinforced concrete, was opened.

To make way for the new church, in 1954 the old wooden church building was moved across the road where it served as a hall until 1977 when sold for removal. However the structure was not sound enough to be moved and was demolished.

In her book The Churches of Frederick de Jersey Clere published in 2003, Susan McLean describes the church:

'The history of St Mary's epitomises the determination of the pioneers to establish in a new country the institutions of the old. The Horowhenua Block, purchased in 1888 after the completion of the Wellington and Manawatu railway, was surveyed for sale to European settlers in 1889, and the next year a group of Anglican women at Levin persuaded Archdeacon Fancourt to visit them from Wellington and choose a site for a church. Two plans were submitted by Clere & Richmond over the next few years. The first was a copy of the plan used at Opunake in 1894 and the second, the one chosen, was the same as the church at Rongotea.

St Mary's was built by Alexander Speirs with timber from his brother's sawmill at Foxton. It was dedicated on 20 April 1897 and consecrated by Bishop Wallis two years later. Although St Mary's has now been replaced, it is still possible to see what it was like by visiting St Simon & St Jude's at Rongotea or the Anglican church at Ashhurst. No church records have survived at Levin from before 1915, so we do not know why the Opunake plan was rejected for the larger Rongotea one.

'True to Clere's custom of varying all his designs in some degree, the vestry at St Mary's, unlike the other two buildings, was placed at the west end opposite the porch. A wooden screen, somewhat like the one designed by Clere in 1899 for the Tringham church of All Saints at Foxton, separated nave and chancel. It was an early gift, in place by the date of consecration, but does not appear on the original plan. An old photograph shows it decorated with Victorian profusion for a church festival.

'In 1920 the vicar floated the idea of replacing the Clere building, which he described as already too small, unsafe - the steeple came down in a storm - not weatherproof and on the wrong site. After long delays aggravated by the Depression and World War II, a new church in reinforced concrete designed by Prouse & Wilson of Wellington was opened in December 1956. Its total cost was £30,000, many times that of the old building.

'The final chapters of Clere's church were eventful. Early in 1954 it was moved directly across the street so that the new church might be erected on the original site on the corner of Cambridge and Manchester Streets. Hauled by a large crawler tractor and nudged by bulldozer, the church was rolled across on greased railway lines. The movement was so smooth that a glass three-quarters full of water, somehow overlooked when the interior was emptied, survived the brief journey without losing a drop. The final service in old St Mary's was evensong on 8 December 1956, but until 1966 the building was used as the parish office, hall and Sunday school and after that for the scout group and for storage.

In 1977 it was sold for $675 to Mr Van Koerveden, who intended to move it and convert it into a house. The building was less sound than he expected, however, so it was demolished. Much of the material was used in the construction of the Gables restaurant on the Hokio Beach road. When the restaurant closed it became a private home.'

This photo shows a dramatic stage of its demolition just prior to Christmas 1977. The steeply pitched roof was the object of attention by the man who bought the 80 year old building by tender. Mr G.J. Van Koeverden and a local builder, Mr Peter Artz are methodically removing the roofing iron and roof structure in this picture.

Later on in her book, Susan McLean describes the screens designed by Clere - includingone at St Mary's Levin that 'disappeared without trace'. Fortunately the Horowhenua Historical Society has a photo of the screen decorated for a wedding in 1916 - as shown on the left.

A ceremony was held on December 15th 1956 at 3pm to dedicate the new Church of St. Mary, Levin - click on the picture at left to see the programme for the Dedication Service. In the Dedication Service programme, the building was described:

The foundation stones of this church were once part of the fabrics of St. Paul's Cathedral, London, and Canterbury Cathedral. Their incorporation in this building is typical of the design as a whole. It is an attempt to build, with modern materials and methods of construction, a church which still preserves the traditions of ecclesiastical architecture.

The plan is in the form of a slightly irregular Latin cross, the nave, chancel and sanctuary forming the standard, and the side chapel and clergy vestry the arms. The choir is placed in a gallery at the west end of the nave and so makes possible a much smaller chancel than is usual. The chapel is so sited that it may be used effectively for capacity congregations. The tower, surmounted by a cross rising to a height of over 50 feet above the ground, is at the west end of the nave and is not only the external focal point of the building, but also performs the triple functions of entrance porch at the ground floor, organ loft at the first floor, and bell chamber at the second floor.

The foundations and external walls are constructed of reinforced concrete, designed to resist earthquake shock, with steel roof trusses spanning the full width of the nave. Hollow curtain walls with a frame type structure are a feature of the building. The ceilings of the nave, chancel, sanctuary and chapel are lined with panels of acoustic tiles and striated Weldtex to produce ideal resonance. The grain of the Weldtex panels is laid in alternate directions to produce interest and character.

A horizontal motif is obtained in the nave by means of wide bands of different toned plaster. The change to the vertical motif in the panel behind the altar results in an accentuation of the height of the sanctuary. The floor is solid concrete overlaid with thermo plastic floor tiles. Metal window frames, glazed with high quality Flemish glass, are used throughout. Heating (and in summer ventilation) is provided by means of high power, low velocity unit fan heaters. Artificial lighting of the nave and sanctuary is by floodlights situated behind the roof beams and rood arch. This is supplemented by indirect lighting from wall fittings on the panels between the beams. A rimu flush panel dado encircles the internal walls of the nave, chancel, chapel and sanctuary.

The two altars are constructed of flush panelled walnut and mahogany, and are of a high standard of craftsmanship. The beauty of the natural wood is featured and accentuated by the monogram inlay of native figured yellow silver pine. The furniture of the sanctuary, including the altar rail and lectern, is mahogany. In the centre of the altar cross is a jewel of paua shell in a silver setting.

The clergy and choir vestries are completely furnished and a room is provided for cleaning the ornaments and arranging flowers.

A full chime of eight bells operated by a rope manual is installed in the tower. These were cast for the church by John Taylor & Co. and weigh nearly 14 tons. The largest bell is 301" in diameter.

The organ is an A.W.B. electronic organ of two manuals and pedals, with 39 speaking stops.

The fittings and ornaments from the old church have been incorporated mainly in the chapel. The main dimensions of the building are:

Length overall, 106' 4".
Height to apex of ceiling, 24' 6".
Width overall nave, 36' 6".
Height to top of tower, 44' 0".
Width overall vestries and chapel, 64' 0".
Height to top of cross, 50'41".

The church as it is in 2011.

Community Contributed

St Mary's Church, Levin

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