Returning from Dunedin today we stopped in Lawrence, South Otago. This is the former Presbyterian Church; their modern church is just down the street. The church site dates back to the gold era of the 1860s, there’s been a church building on the site since ~1864, that building later used for Sunday School. This building was completed in 1886, at a cost of £1,200. New Zealand.
Here’s a nice view via Wikipedia/Benchill taken 9 October 2011. CC BY-SA 3.0
Links to more information.
~note: the church was severely damaged due to fire (arson) in 1998.
Heritage New Zealand ~info on the architect Robert Arthur Lawson
flickr: PhilBee NZ (social historian) ~good overview of the story of the building
blogspot: Don Donovan’s World ~mostly about the fire
Text and photos by Liz; Exploring Colour (2022)
Exploring Colour 
The old church is a very good-looking building but it’s important that people feel comfortable in the new church and that it also hopefully encourages a good community feeling.
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So true! I peered in through the window and it looked a very inviting space 🙂
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I don’t imagine, based on the current trend almost everywhere, that the new church has this much character and architectural interest. Shame it’s not being used.
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It’s supposedly been a luxury boutique retreat since 2008 according to the flickr info but there was no sign of anyone staying today even though it’s a holiday weekend however they may’ve been out and about. The flickr info said the church had been sold around 1994 as the congregation had dwindled. While the new church isn’t outstanding architecturally speaking, the spaces look family-friendly and appear to be open, light and comfortable. I can see why they’d have preferred a modern build!
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