"The Original St. Mary's, 1867"

1. The Beginning:

• The land on which the church and vicarage stands was part of 150 acres purchased from the Canterbury Association by the Reverend George Robert Poulson of Addington, London. Poulson never came out to New Zealand and in 1860 Henry Sewell, Deputy Chairman of the Canterbury Association, acquired the land. He gifted 5 acres to the Diocese of Christchurch for a church, parsonage and glebe in 1863. An orphanage to accommodate 60 children was erected on a portion of the land in 1864, and church services were held in the schoolroom by the Reverend Edward Atherton Lingard. Lingard was assistant master at Christ's College and deacon assistant at Christchurch St. Michael's. At this stage, Addington was part of the parish of St. Michael and All Angels and remained so until 1900.

2. The Church:

• A church room was built on the site marked out as Addington Square to a design by Speechly and Chrisp, architects. It was opened in February 1867 and regular Sunday worship began using clergy from St. Michael's.
• In 1880 it was decided that this building should be the nucleus of a new church. It was given the name of Saint Mary the Virgin reputedly at the request of Henry Sewell. Gifts were made by various people and a lectern, prayer desk, chalice and paten, and harmonium were installed. A new porch and doorway was added to the west end of the building.
• Three stained glass windows were installed in the sanctuary in 1875.

Central Panel, apse windows. Made by Lavers, Barrand, and Westlake, London, 1874.

• Herbert East (1875-92) was the first resident priest, living in the orphanage until the vicarage, designed by J.C. Maddison, was completed in 1878

• With the help of the architect, B.J. Mountfort, the church was extended westwards in 1880 to double its size. The south aisle was added to the church in 1893, increasing the seating capacity to 300. The north aisle was built in 1900 to a design by the Augustus Schwartz, Inspector of Public Works for Canterbury, who was also the People's Warden for the parish.

• A new communion table was purchased in 1912 to celebrate 20 years of the Reverend Bean’s ministry (Vicar 1882-1933).

• Major repairs were carried out on the ageing church in 1935-36. The steeple was dismantled and a new iron roof replaced the shingles. A new steeple was erected in 1961. The outside of church was stuccoed in 1960 and the vicarage stuccoed in 1962.

• The interior of the church was completely re-ordered in 1963 at the instigation of the Reverend John Froud. The plan by the architect Don Donnithorne included the first freestanding altar in the Diocese.

• In 1995 the sanctuary area was further enlarged to bring the altar closer to the worshipping community.

• The church is distinguished by the contributions of talented artists among the congregation. A reversible cross on the rood-beam depicts the suffering Christ on one side and the risen and triumphant Christ on the other. Modern liturgical banners and altar frontals adorn the church.

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Contact the Website Administrator. Last updated on 3 Oct 2005