All Saints Church

About

All Saints' Church is a heritage-listed Anglican church located in Dunedin, New Zealand. Established in 1865, the church is part of the Dunedin North parish in the Diocese of Dunedin. The church building has a Category I listing with the New Zealand Historic Places Trust.

The parish lies within the takiwā/territory of Kāti Huirapa ki Puketeraki of Karitane, of the Kai Tahu tribe. The parish is made up of the former parish of All Saints and the former parish of St. Martin's North East Valley. The parish area includes North East Valley, Pine Hill, North Dunedin, Ravensbourne and Leith Valley.

The building is the oldest church still used as a place of worship in Dunedin. All Saints' Church is the chapel of Selwyn College, Otago. The college was built around the church and the college and parish have a close relationship. Selwyn College was built as an Anglican theological college in 1893, from the beginning it also housed non-theological students from the university. All Saints' is located close to the University of Otago.

The nave of the church was designed by William H. Clayton and built by James Gore in 1865; the transepts and chancel, designed by William Mason were added in 1873. All Saints' is an example of gothic revival architecture.

A notable architectural feature is the polychrome brickwork. The bricks came from the brickworks in Filleul Street, Dunedin. Also used in the building is Oamaru stone, an early use of the stone in Dunedin. In 1969, All Saints' Church was restored, in which the foundations, hardwood floor, and slate roof were replaced. At this time a nave altar was installed with altar rails designed by Ted McCoy.

Notable art works in the church include a large rood hanging above the sanctuary carved by leading sculptor Frederick George Gurnsey (1868–1953) who also carved the aumbry door and the pulpit. A small Christus Rex by the eminent New Zealand sculptor Ria Bancroft is above the pulpit. In 2017 a set of ceramic sculptures of the Scriptural Way of the Cross by Whanganui sculptor Kirk Nicholls was installed.

In 2019 an appeal was launched to install a stained glass window in memory of the Ross Sea Party and in honour of Rev. Arnold Spencer-Smith. The window was blessed by Bishop Steven Benford on March 9th 2024.

In 2023 a sculpture of the Blessed Virgin Mary holding the child Jesus was unveiled and blessed by Richard Wallace Bishop of Te Wai Pounamu. The sculpture was made by master carver Rongomai-Tawhiti Parata-Taiapa. The carving's name is Hākui Meri Tapu o Ōwheo. Hākui is an acknowledgment of respect and form of address to a female elder. Meri Tapu refers to Holy Mary, o Ōwheo is the name of the Water of Leith and also the name of the pre-European kaika - settlement closest to All Saints, where Howe Street meets Leith Street.< https://hail.to/diocese-of-dunedin/article/9oZiPhq >

The nave of the church was designed by William H. Clayton and built by James Gore in 1865; the transepts and chancel, designed by William Mason were added in 1873. All Saints' is an example of gothic revival architecture.

A notable architectural feature is the polychrome brickwork. The bricks came from the brickworks in Filleul Street, Dunedin. Also used in the building is Oamaru stone, an early use of the stone in Dunedin. In 1969, All Saints' Church was restored, in which the foundations, hardwood floor, and slate roof were replaced. At this time a nave altar was installed with altar rails designed by Ted McCoy.

Notable art works in the church include a large rood hanging above the sanctuary carved by leading sculptor Frederick George Gurnsey (1868–1953) who also carved the aumbry door and the pulpit. A small Christus Rex by the eminent New Zealand sculptor Ria Bancroft is above the pulpit. In 2017 a set of ceramic sculptures of the Scriptural Way of the Cross by Whanganui sculptor Kirk Nicholls was installed.

In 2019 an appeal was launched to install a stained glass window in memory of the Ross Sea Party and in honour of Rev. Arnold Spencer-Smith. The window was blessed by Bishop Steven Benford on March 9th 2024.

In 2023 a sculpture of the Blessed Virgin Mary holding the child Jesus was unveiled and blessed by Richard Wallace Bishop of Te Wai Pounamu. The sculpture was made by master carver Rongomai-Tawhiti Parata-Taiapa. The carving's name is Hākui Meri Tapu o Ōwheo. Hākui is an acknowledgment of respect and form of address to a female elder. Meri Tapu refers to Holy Mary, o Ōwheo is the name of the Water of Leith and also the name of the pre-European kaika - settlement closest to All Saints, where Howe Street meets Leith Street.< https://hail.to/diocese-of-dunedin/article/9oZiPhq >

All Saints' parish was organised before the Diocese of Dunedin was formed in 1869; for the first few years of the parish it was part of the Diocese of Christchurch. The land was given by James Allen Senior, father of James Allen and the foundation stone laid on 11 February 1865 by Henry Harper 1st Bishop of Christchurch. The church was built rapidly (admittedly only the nave and narthex) and opened on 23 July 1865. The church was consecrated on 21 April 1869. At the 1886 Annual General Meeting the parish discussed an offer from the Bishop Samuel Tarratt Nevill 'to take over the Parish Church for the purpose of making it the Cathedral of the Diocese, and to facilitate the legal transfer by contributing £2,000 towards liquidating the debt on the property, at that time £2,600.' The AGM agreed to the bishop's offer however the project failed, 'the General Synod hesitating on legal grounds to sanction the transfer of the property.'

- Very Rev Alfred R. Fitchett Alfred Fitchett 1879–1928 ( Dean of Dunedin 1894–1929)

- Fr. William Hardy-Johnson 1928–1935 (Rector of Rosslyn Chapel 1923–1928)

- Ven. L.G. Whitehead 1935–1948 Algy Whitehead also Warden of Selwyn College

- Rev. Canon Arthur Philip Atkinson Gaze 1964–1980 (Cousin of Arnold Spencer-Smith )

- Rev. Canon Erice Fairbrother 1999–2002

- James Allen, a politician who served as a churchwarden