Druids’ Chambers

• 1923 - 1924
• Construction
• unknown
• Cornice removed

• unknown
• Not assessed

Not assessed

The Druids’ Chambers is a seven storey building with a narrow (one bay) frontage to Lambton Quay and a long (six bay) frontage to Woodward Street. It is stripped Classical in style, with three principal divisions to the street elevations: base, shaft and cap that suggest a Chicago-style influence. The base is two storeys high, rusticated in simulation of stonework, with abstracted keystones over the ground floor windows and a cornice at second floor level. The shaft is four storeys high with simplified pilasters rising through the four storeys and separating bands of steel-framed windows. The cap of the building, above a strong, pronounced cornice, reads as a horizontal band, with windows and emblematic relief panels alternating. The original overhanging cornice was removed at an unknown date – perhaps as a response to the 1931 Hawkes Bay or 1942 Wellington/Wairarapa earthquakes.

The building is unusual as it has its main façade to the narrow lane of Woodward Street, with just a single bay to the prime thoroughfare of Lambton Quay. The building is a tall and narrow ‘book-end’ that appears to anticipate the development of Lambton Quay from low-rise Victorian and Edwardian shop/residences to a major commercial thoroughfare with tall office buildings with ground floor retail units. This optimism was perhaps misplaced and the building has always been somewhat taller than its southern neighbours on Lambton Quay.

Uses have also remained unchanged. Retail space on the ground floor has an entrance from Lambton Quay, and office use in the floors above has an entrance, lift and stairs opening from Woodward Street.

The structure of the Druids’ Chambers is in-situ reinforced concrete, post and beam with concrete floors. It has some technical interest for this reason, particularly as there have been no significant structural alterations. Both the retail and office entrances have been altered, although the office entrance retains some of the original marble lining. The plaster on concrete exterior finish of the building remains in remarkably authentic condition This can be ascertained from the original drawings, held by the Wellington City Council, which are signed by Llewellyn Williams, Architect and Structural Engineer, and dated 5 December 1923.

Druids’ Chambers is an unusual ‘bookend’ to the Lambton Quay at its intersection with Woodward Street. The building has always towered above its diminutive neighbours to the south, and this is slightly incongruous to the street-wall of low-rise developments and podiums that otherwise dominate this part of Lambton Quay. The heritage building is, however, a dignified formal composition that has townscape value for the way in which it occupies a prominent corner site. Its neighbour to the immediate north of Woodward Street is a ten-story 20th century office that serves a similar townscape function.

Druids’ Chambers has its principal façade to the narrow lane of Woodward Street, and wraps around the street-corner to Lambton Quay in a similar style. It is flanked to the south by a modern, and relatively bland, three-storey ‘podium’-style retail/ commercial building. The streetscape value of this collection of buildings is, however, enhanced by the location of Midland Park on the opposite side of Lambton Quay. The park, a popular gathering spot for Wellingtonians, especially with the office workers employed in the area, affords people a clear view of the Druids’ Chambers building.

The wider context is the ‘Golden Mile’ CBD thoroughfare that is the city’s main pedestrian route. The building is similar in style to several Chicago-style inspired buildings on Lambton Quay – particularly the former DIC Department Store (WCC ref 17/183) and the T&G Building (WCC ref 17/185) to the southeast. The western side of Lambton Quay has seen relatively more development in the past few decades and Druids’ Chambers is one of the last period buildings between the Cenotaph and Cable Car Lane on the landward side of the old shoreline.

The location of Druids’ Chambers on the corner of Woodward and Lambton and opposite Midland Park combined with its architectural character makes Druids’ Chambers a local landmark on one of the city’s main pedestrian routes.

• Architectural

  Does the item have architectural or artistic value for characteristics that may include its design, style, era, form, scale, materials, colour, texture, patina of age, quality of space, craftsmanship, smells, and sounds?

  The Druids’ Chambers is a good representative example of a stripped Classical building of the mid-1920s, well-ordered in its composition and a competent piece of architectural design by a well known Wellington architect, Llewellyn Williams.

• Group

  Is the item part of a group of buildings, structures, or sites that taken together have coherence because of their age, history, style, scale, materials, or use?

  The building has some group value for its similarity in style and scale with the nearby former DIC Department Store (WCC ref 17/183) and the T&G Building (WCC ref 17/185).

• Townscape

  Does the item have townscape value for the part it plays in defining a space or street; providing visual interest; its role as a landmark; or the contribution it makes to the character and sense of place of Wellington?

  It is significant in the townscape as it marks the corner of Lambton Quay and Woodward Street. As one of the last period buildings on the landward(west) side of Lambton Quay, it provides a valuable reference to the history of growth and change along the original shoreline.

• Association

  Is the item associated with an important person, group, or organisation?

  The United Ancient Druids Lodge, established in Wellington in 1879 as the Excelsior Lodge, was a large Masonic order. Through its Friendly Society it was a major provider of social services to its many members and was an institution of considerable historic significance. Its members were drawn from many sectors of New Zealand society and the Wellington Grand Lodge, known as Druids’ Chambers, was their headquarters. Despite diminishing influence and a reduced membership in later years the society remained a significant organisation until wound up in 1995.

• Archaeological

  Does the item have archaeological value for its ability to provide scientific information about past human activity?

  The building is located in the Central City archaeological site reference NZAA R27/270.

• Technological

  Does the item have technological value for its innovative or important construction methods or use of materials?

  The building has technical interest for its concrete frame construction.

• Identity Sense Of Place Continuity

  Is the item a focus of community, regional, or national identity? Does the item contribute to sense of place or continuity?

  Druids’ Chambers has retained its original use of retail space and office accommodation, and the building retains much of its original external form. It contributes to the sense of place and continuity of Lambton Quay.

• Sentiment Connection

  Is the item a focus of community sentiment and connection?

  Druids’ Chambers may continue to be a focus of sentiment and connection for its former members.

• Symbolic Commemorative Traditional Spiritual

  Does the item have symbolic, commemorative, traditional, spiritual or other cultural value for the community who has used and continues to use it?

  Though the society was wound up in 1995, Druids’ Chambers may continue to hold spiritual and cultural value for the society’s former members.

• Authentic

  Does the item have authenticity or integrity because it retains significant fabric from the time of its construction or from later periods when important additions or modifications were carried out?

  Druids’ Chambers retains a high level of authenticity in its exterior form and decoration.

Not assessed

• Wellington City Council. Archive File (00058:0:C62943)
• New South Wales Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages. No 7973/233.
• New Zealand Hansard. Parliamentary Debate – Wednesday 18 August, 1993. Last accessed August 2013 at
• New Zealand Historic Places Trust. ‘Williams, Llewellyn – Architect’. Accessed August 2013
• Schouten, Hank. ‘Respected barrister struck off’. Domion Post. Last accessed August 2013 at
• UAOD 1979. ‘History of Excelsior Lodge No 11 of the United Ancient Order of Druids’.
• ‘Our First Sixty Years’. In MS Papers 5702-09, Alexander Turnbull Library.

Not available

Not available