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314:. At that time the only such set in a Presbyterian church outside the United Kingdom and claimed to be the southernmost ring of bells in the world. A large bell on a pedestal stands outside the church, sent from Scotland in 1851. Also located in the grounds in front of the church is a memorial plaque to Dr. Burns. The entrance gates to the church feature two lamps which started life as Edinburgh street lamps, another connection to the homeland of many of the city's first settlers.
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291:, who also did much of the woodcarving in the interior. The use of "cathedral glass", coloured but unfigured glass pending the donation of a pictorial window for the rose window is characteristic of Otago's 19th-century churches, where donors were relatively few reflecting the generally "low church" sentiments of the place. Similar examples can be found in several of Lawson's other churches throughout
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240:. It is this large circular window which after the spire becomes the focal point of the rear elevations. The whole architectural essay appears here almost European. Inside, instead of the stone vaulted ceiling of a Norman cathedral, there are hammer beams supporting a ceiling of pitched wood and a stone pointed
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From 1864 a third structure ("The
Interim Church") was used, on a site above the previous buildings on Dowling Street. A sturdy wooden structure on a stone base, it had seating for 600, and was used until the present building was ready for use in 1873. The wooden building was dismantled and moved to
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chambers. The building was utilitarian, and may have only ever been intended as a temporary solution, as plans for a more stately building were being mooted as early as 1856. After construction of the permanent church, the 1848 and 1850 buildings were used as a wool store, but were destroyed by fire
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building, erected very quickly, and capable of holding some 200 people. It was opened in
September 1848, within six months of the arrival of the city's first permanent European settlers from Scotland. So hasty was the construction of the building that early congregations had to remain standing, as
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windows on all sides, which give an illusion of even greater height. Such was Lawson's perfectionism that the top of the spire had to be dismantled and rebuilt when it failed to measure up to his standards. It can be seen from much of central
Dunedin, and dominates the skyline of lower
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synod felt the metropolitan church should not have been so privileged over the country districts where congregants had no purpose designed places of worship or only modest ones. The
Reverend Dr Burns's championship of the project ensured it was carried through against such objections.
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A stone church was built in 1850 which expanded and extended the original structure, doubling its capacity. This building not only served as a church, but, in the city's early days, was also a school, public lecture hall, and served as the
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was completed in 1881. It again held that rank briefly from 1888, after the latter building was damaged by an earthquake. The church is currently the city's tallest building, and the fourth tallest building in the South Island (after
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Prior to the construction of the church, smaller earlier buildings had been used by the congregation, but the rapid rise in the city's population meant that a larger, more permanent structure was necessary.
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151:, which has a similar tower. Lawson had won a competition for the design of the church from among six entrants. Construction was delayed after the decision to reduce
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Fryatt Street, where is served as a tram workshop; part of the original stone foundations on
Dowling Street are still visible adjoining a city council car park.
302:. For many years, the church housed a 1908 Norman & Baird organ, though this was replaced in 1983 by a digital organ by Allen. A full set of eight
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of South
Dunedin. The church's site, on a promontory of what is left of the hill, commands views to the south across Queen's Gardens towards the
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inland, resulting in rapid growth in the city. The hill became a massive obstacle to the development of
Dunedin, and a decision was made by the
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159:, and was officially opened on 23 November 1873, by which time Burns, its champion, had already died. The church is dominated by its multi-
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of stained glass. This is flanked by further lights on the lower level, while twin organ pipes emphasise the symmetry of the pulpit.
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336:(2.00pm). The church is also used for a variety of both religious and secular civic and cultural events within the city.
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to make a substantial excavation into the hill. This resulted in a cutting through which one of the city's main streets,
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church. The building is regarded as the most impressive of New
Zealand's nineteenth-century churches, and is listed by
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Other notable features of the building include stained glass windows dedicated to those fallen in war and to the
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cathedrals of
England. The cathedral-like design and size can best be appreciated from the rear. There is an
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The original First Church stood close to the former beach in the city's lower High Street. This was a rough,
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Externally, First Church successfully replicates the effect, if on a smaller scale, of the late
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rising to 56.4 metres (185 ft). The spire is unusual as it is pierced by two-storeyed
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At 56.4 metres (185 ft), the spire makes the building one of the tallest in the
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The expense of the building was not without criticism. Some members of the
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272:, the Forsyth Barr Building, and Rydge's Hotel, all in Christchurch).
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Regular Sunday services are held in the church in
English (10.00am),
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204:-like quality of the church, which shocked its early congregation.
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A miniature of the church was created by Lawson in the city's
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The Australian and New Zealand Association of Bellringers
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the Australian and New Zealand Association of Bellringers
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Heritage New Zealand Category 1 historic places in Otago
200:, shows the true architecture and extravagant European
220:, New Zealand, is a miniature replica of First Church.
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Landmarks: Notable historic buildings of New Zealand.
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seating was not installed until three months later.
310:, was installed in 1975 and are rung by members of
54:is a prominent church in the New Zealand city of
636:(Paperback). Christchurch, NZ: Self-published.
745:Gothic Revival church buildings in New Zealand
252:. Above this diffused light enters through a
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321:as a family tomb for noted early Dunedinite
58:. It is located in the heart of the city on
632:Hamilton, Derek; Hamilton, Judith (2009).
108:The current church stands on the stump of
655:(Paperback). Dunedin, NZ: Self-published.
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527:"Sunday Service Times at First Church",
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367:New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Kōrero
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196:The rear of the building, as seen from
602:McGill, D., & Sheehan, G., (1997)
388:Herd & Griffiths (1980) pp. 61–62.
363:"First Church of Otago (Presbyterian)"
558:Dunedin: Otago Settlers Association.
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634:Early Churches in and Around Dunedin
587:Herd, J. and Griffiths, G.J. (1980)
486:Dove's Guide for Church Bell Ringers
265:ChristChurch Cathedral, Christchurch
621:. Wellington: A.H. & A.W. Reed.
556:Dunedin Churches, Past and Present.
427:McGill & Sheehan (1997), p. 212
176:, and has a capacity of over 1000.
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517:Knight & Wales (1988), p. 132
508:Knight & Wales (1988), p. 131
436:Knight & Wales (1988), p. 130
352:Knight & Wales (1988), p. 128
482:"Dunedin: First Church of Otago"
447:"DUNEDIN, FIRST CHURCH OF OTAGO"
667:First Church of Otago - website
275:The building is constructed of
147:, who also designed the city's
143:style, was designed in 1862 by
730:Listed churches in New Zealand
725:Robert Lawson church buildings
653:Spire on the Hill: 1873 – 1973
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750:Stone churches in New Zealand
735:1870s churches in New Zealand
669:(Retrieved 9 September 2018)
606:Auckland:Godwit Publishing.
532:(Retrieved 9 September 2018)
70:as a Category I structure.
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619:The Story of Early Dunedin
576:. Dunedin: John McIndoe.
287:, with details carved by
218:Dunedin Northern Cemetery
308:Whitechapel Bell Foundry
279:, set on foundations of
118:Otago Provincial Council
93:Otago Provincial Council
591:Dunedin: John McIndoe.
572:, and Wales, N. (1988)
691:45.87602°S 170.50475°E
651:Parry, Gordon (1973).
480:Smith, Martin (2011).
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529:First Church Of Otago
451:ANZAB Tower Directory
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33:First Church, Dunedin
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18:First Church, Dunedin
696:-45.87602; 170.50475
589:Discovering Dunedin.
574:Buildings of Dunedin
371:Heritage New Zealand
300:Otago Mounted Rifles
68:Heritage New Zealand
715:Churches in Dunedin
687: /
541:Croot (1999), p. 61
418:Croot (1999), p. 56
409:Croot (1999), p. 55
306:bells, cast by the
163:tower crowned by a
114:gold was discovered
617:Reed, A.H. (1956)
554:Croot, C. (1999).
397:Reed (1956), p. 77
332:(12.00 Noon), and
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126:Southern Endowment
74:Earlier structures
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643:978-0-473-15950-4
330:Cook Island Maori
319:Northern Cemetery
244:acts as a simple
212:The mausoleum of
139:The building, in
16:(Redirected from
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489:. Retrieved
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459:the original
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277:Oamaru stone
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261:South Island
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188:The building
181:Presbyterian
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157:Thomas Burns
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104:Construction
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84:weatherboard
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64:Presbyterian
52:First Church
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694: /
682:170°30′17″E
254:rose window
238:rose window
232:flanked by
174:Moray Place
149:Knox Church
60:Moray Place
709:Categories
679:45°52′34″S
570:Knight, H.
549:References
246:proscenium
161:pinnacled
153:Bell Hill
110:Bell Hill
96:in 1865.
202:basilica
491:5 April
465:5 April
234:turrets
56:Dunedin
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334:Samoan
250:pulpit
226:Norman
169:gabled
340:Notes
293:Otago
283:from
165:spire
638:ISBN
608:ISBN
593:ISBN
578:ISBN
560:ISBN
493:2014
467:2014
242:arch
230:apse
132:and
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
