Holy Trinity Avonside – 20, 20A Lychgate Close, 122 Avonside Drive, Christchurch

DISTRICT PLAN – LISTED HERITAGE PLACE HERITAGE ASSESSMENT – STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE HOLY TRINITY AVONSIDE – 20, 20A LYCHGATE CLOSE, 122 AVONSIDE DRIVE, CHRISTCHURCH

Holy Trinity Avonside Graveyard and Lychgate are associated with one of the earliest Anglican parishes in Christchurch, and the site of the first church, churchyard and graveyard to be consecrated in Canterbury, by the newly arrived Bishop Harper in 1857. The site for the church was donated by English clergyman Rev. W Bradley. It is near to Ōtākaro/the Avon River, which was highly regarded as a mahinga kai by Waitaha, Ngāti Māmoe and Ngāi Tahu. The early church building in cob was supplemented by a stone church in 1874-1875 and remaining parts replaced in 1905-1907. The church was severely damaged following the Canterbury earthquakes and has been demolished.

DISTRICT PLAN – LISTED HERITAGE PLACE HERITAGE ASSESSMENT – STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE HERITAGE ITEM NUMBER 1358 HOLY TRINITY AVONSIDE LYCHGATE AND SETTING- 20, 20A LYCHGATE CLOSE, 122 AVONSIDE DRIVE, CHRISTCHURCH

PHOTOGRAPH : M.VAIR-PIOVA, 6/01/2015

HISTORICAL AND SOCIAL SIGNIFICANCE Historical and social values that demonstrate or are associated with: a particular person, group, organisation, institution, event, phase or activity; the continuity and/or change of a phase or activity; social, historical, traditional, economic, political or other patterns.

Holy Trinity Avonside has historical and social significance as one of the earliest Anglican parishes in Christchurch, and the site of the first church and churchyard to be consecrated in Canterbury, by the newly arrived Bishop Harper in 1857. The church was severely damaged following the Canterbury earthquakes and has been demolished. However, the site has significance for its graveyard and associated lychgate. The lychgate was donated by a parishioner, Mrs Palairet, who also gifted the chancel and organ chamber to the church, and was designed by Benjamin Mountfort in 1868. It is the sole survivor of a pair of lychgates designed for the church by Mountfort.

symbolic or commemorative value of the place; significance to Tangata Whenua; and/or associations with an identifiable group and esteemed by this group for its cultural values.

The lychgate and setting at Holy Trinity Avonside has cultural and spiritual significance as part of a site that has served the Avonside Anglican Parish since 1855. The site is held in high regard both by the Diocese and its congregation and a broad range of Anglican spiritual and social services have been conducted on the greater site over the years.

ARCHITECTURAL AND AESTHETIC SIGNIFICANCE Architectural and aesthetic values that demonstrate or are associated with: a particular style, period or designer, design values, form, scale, colour, texture and material of the place.

The lychgate has architectural and aesthetic significance as it was designed by B. W. Mountfort in 1868 and its proportions and timber detailing are of note. Mountfort trained as an architect in England under Richard Carpenter, an important member of the Gothic Revival movement. Mountfort immigrated to New Zealand in 1850 and became New Zealand’s pre- eminent Gothic Revival architect. He has been credited with defining Christchurch’s Gothic Revival character with a group of major buildings including the Canterbury Museum, the Provincial Council Buildings and the Canterbury College Clock Tower and College Hall blocks (later the Arts Centre of Christchurch).

TECHNOLOGICAL AND CRAFTSMANSHIP SIGNIFICANCE Technological and craftsmanship values that demonstrate or are associated with: the nature and use of materials, finishes and/or technological or constructional methods which were innovative, or of notable quality for the period.

The lychgate has technological and craftsmanship significance for its early construction methods and timber detailing.

CONTEXTUAL SIGNIFICANCE Contextual values that demonstrate or are associated with: a relationship to the environment (constructed and natural), a landscape, setting, group, precinct or streetscape; a degree of consistency in terms of type, scale, form, materials, texture, colour, style and/or detail; recognised landmarks and landscape which are recognised and contribute to the unique identity of the environment.

The lychgate has contextual significance as part of the churchyard with its established trees and graves. The setting for the lychgate is the same as that for the churchyard and includes the pedestrian access from Avonside drive, which provides views to the lychgate and churchyard. The setting includes paths, landscaping and mature trees which link the entrance from Avonside Drive to the lychgate, and the site of the now demolished church. More widely, Holy Trinity has contextual significance within the Avonside Parish, for its links to Benjamin Mountfort’s wider body of work; and for its links to Christchurch's churches such as St Paul's Papanui, St Peter's Upper Riccarton, and St Mary's Halswell, which all have their own churchyards and are also linked to Mountfort.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE Archaeological or scientific values that demonstrate or are associated with: the potential to provide information through physical or scientific evidence an understanding about social historical, cultural, spiritual, technological or other values of past events, activities, structures or people.

The lychgate and its setting are of archaeological significance because they have potential to provide archaeological evidence relating to past building construction methods and materials, and human activity on the site, including that which occurred prior to 1900.

ASSESSMENT STATEMENT

Holy Trinity Avonside and its setting are of overall significance to Christchurch, including Banks Peninsula. Holy Trinity Avonside has historical and social significance as one of the earliest Anglican parishes in Christchurch, and the site of the first church and churchyard to be consecrated in Canterbury, by the newly arrived Bishop Harper in 1857. The lychgate and setting at Holy Trinity Avonside has cultural and spiritual significance as part of a site that has served the Avonside Anglican Parish since 1855. The lychgate has architectural and aesthetic significance as it was designed by B. W. Mountfort in 1868 and its proportions and timber detailing are of note. The lychgate has contextual significance as part of the churchyard with its established trees and graves. The lychgate and its setting are of archaeological significance because they have potential to provide archaeological evidence relating to past building construction methods and materials, and human activity on the site, including that which occurred prior to 1900.

REFERENCES:

Christchurch City Council, Heritage File, Holy Trinity Avonside – 122 Avonside Drive/20 Lychgate Close Christchurch City Council, Christchurch City Plan – Listed Heritage Item and Setting. Heritage Assessment – Statement of Significance. Holy Trinity Anglican Church – 122 Avonside Drive - 2011

REPORT DATED: 11/11/2014

PLEASE NOTE THIS ASSESSMENT IS BASED ON INFORMATION AVAILABLE AT THE TIME OF WRITING. DUE TO THE ONGOING NATURE OF HERITAGE RESEARCH, FUTURE REASSESSMENT OF THIS HERITAGE ITEM

MAY BE NECESSARY TO REFLECT ANY CHANGES IN KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF ITS HERITAGE SIGNIFICANCE.

PLEASE USE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE CCC HERITAGE FILES.

DISTRICT PLAN – LISTED HERITAGE PLACE HERITAGE ASSESSMENT – STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE HERITAGE ITEM NUMBER 45 HOLY TRINITY AVONSIDE GRAVEYARD AND SETTING – 20, 20A LYCHGATE CLOSE, 122 AVONSIDE DRIVE, CHRISTCHURCH

PHOTOGRAPH : M.VAIR-PIOVA, 6/01/2015

Holy Trinity Avonside Graveyard has high historical and social significance for its connection with one of the earliest Anglican parishes in Christchurch, and as the site of the first church and churchyard to be consecrated in Canterbury, by the newly arrived Bishop Harper in 1857. The church itself has been demolished following the Canterbury earthquakes. However, the site has significance for its graveyard and associated lychgate. The graveyard contains the mortal remains of many well known early European settlers of Canterbury including the church's own architect, Benjamin Mountfort, scientist Sir Julius Von Haast, politician William Rolleston and architect J. C. Maddison.

CULTURAL AND SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE Cultural and spiritual values that demonstrate or are associated with the distinctive characteristics of a way of life, philosophy, tradition, religion, or other belief, including: the symbolic or commemorative value of the place; significance to Tangata Whenua; and/or associations with an identifiable group and esteemed by this group for its cultural values.

Holy Trinity Avonside graveyard has high cultural and spiritual significance, a church and graveyard on this site having served the Avonside Anglican Parish since 1855, as the resting place of the ancestors of many of the early Canterbury settlers and serves today as a representative memorial to all Canterbury pioneers. The site is held in high regard both by the Diocese and its congregation and a broad range of Anglican spiritual and social services have been conducted on the greater site over the years. The churchyard also demonstrates beliefs and practises relating to death, mourning, burial and commemoration.

The graveyard at Holy Trinity Avonside has architectural and aesthetic significance for the diversity of tombstone designs in evidence and for its relationship with B. W. Mountfort, both in his own grave and the lychgate, which he designed in 1868. Mountfort trained as an architect in England under Richard Carpenter, an important member of the Gothic Revival movement. Mountfort immigrated to New Zealand in 1850 and became New Zealand’s pre- eminent Gothic Revival architect. The graveyard and lychgate together have aesthetic significance as a successful evocation in Christchurch of a traditional English churchyard, engendered in part by the secluded nature of the site.

The gravestones in the churchyard have craftsmanship significance for the degree of craftsmanship that they demonstrate in their design and execution.

The Holy Trinity Avonside churchyard has contextual significance, with its established trees, lychgate and graves. The setting of the graveyard at Holy Trinity Avonside is the same as that for the lychgate and includes the pedestrian access from Avonside Drive, which provides views to the lychgate and churchyard. The setting includes paths, landscaping and mature trees which link the entrance from Avonside Drive to the lychgate, and the site of the now demolished church. More widely, Holy Trinity has contextual significance within the Avonside Parish, for its links to Benjamin Mountfort’s wider body of work; and for its links to Christchurch's churches such as St Paul's Papanui, St Peter's Upper Riccarton, and St Mary's Halswell, which all have their own churchyards and are also linked to Mountfort.

The graveyard and its setting are of archaeological significance because they have potential to provide archaeological evidence relating to human activity on the site, including that which occurred prior to 1900.

ASSESSMENT STATEMENT

Holy Trinity Avonside graveyard and its setting are of overall high significance to the Christchurch District, including Banks Peninsula. Holy Trinity graveyard has high historical and social significance for its association with one of the earliest Anglican parishes in Christchurch, and the site of the first church and churchyard to be consecrated in Canterbury, by the newly arrived Bishop Harper in 1857. Holy Trinity graveyard has high cultural and spiritual significance, a church and graveyard on this site having served the Avonside Anglican Parish since 1855, as the resting place of the ancestors of many of the early Canterbury settlers and serves today as a representative memorial to all Canterbury pioneers. The graveyard at Holy Trinity Avonside has architectural and aesthetic significance for the diversity of tombstone designs in evidence and for its relationship with B. W. Mountfort, both in his own grave and the lychgate, which he designed in 1868. The churchyard has technological and craftsmanship significance for the high degree of craftsmanship that the headstones demonstrate in their design and execution. Holy Trinity graveyard has contextual significance for its churchyard, with its established trees, lychgate and graves. The graveyard and its setting are of archaeological significance because they have potential to provide archaeological evidence relating to human activity on the site, including that which occurred prior to 1900.

REFERENCES:

REPORT DATED: 11/11/2014

PLEASE NOTE THIS ASSESSMENT IS BASED ON INFORMATION AVAILABLE AT THE TIME OF WRITING. DUE TO THE ONGOING NATURE OF HERITAGE RESEARCH, FUTURE REASSESSMENT OF THIS HERITAGE ITEM

MAY BE NECESSARY TO REFLECT ANY CHANGES IN KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF ITS HERITAGE SIGNIFICANCE.

PLEASE USE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE CCC HERITAGE FILES.