St John’s Church

• 1969
• Organ loft (00058:653:C30112)
• 1979
• Reconstruction stage 1 (00058:1199:C51471)
• 1979
• Reconstruction stage 2 (00058:1244:C52961)
• 1981
• Reconstruction stage 3 (00058:1333:C56096)

• 1921
• Parish of St John the Evangelist

Not assessed

St. John’s is designed on an English model - a moderate-sized, comparatively low-slung design with a square tower as its outstanding feature. St. John’s is very similar to St. Matthias church in Makara, also designed by Clere and built at around the same time.  

The plan of St. John’s is rectangular, with a gable roof over the main body of the church and a lower interlocking gable over the sanctuary. One transept has a hipped roof, the other is absorbed into the ground floor of the tower. The fenestration consists mainly of three sets of triple lancet windows on either side of the nave.

The tower is a traditional element that has been derived from Anglo-Saxon prototypes.  It is squared at the top, with a simple crenellated parapet and flag pole. 
On each side there are two louvered openings, each with a label mould above. A simple projecting string course underneath the parapet of the tower marks its roof level and has two pipes on each side to throw rain water clear of the wall. Exterior decoration is minimal and the church exterior is finished in painted cement render. The sanctuary window features delicate tracery in concrete. 

The church was strengthened and the nave extended in the 1980s. The interior retains a high degree of authenticity and the alterations have been made in keeping with the original design and fabric of the church.  

Concrete

The building is located on a small hill that marks the intersection of Bassett and Ironside Roads. To the north it is bordered by residential houses while to the south the open hillside slopes down to meet the Helston, Middleton and Ironside Road intersection. Because it is situated in such a commanding position, and with no immediate surrounding buildings, the church is a prominent landmark.

• 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?

  St John’s Anglican Church is a good representative example of revivalist architecture, a design style that was typical of New Zealand Anglican church buildings in the early twentieth century. The building was designed to resemble an English rural parish church, and is particularly notable for the simplicity of its form, and for the careful composition of the bell tower that is the building’s most prominent feature.

• 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?

  The building is a local landmark due to its elevated position at the corner of Ironside and Bassett Roads.

• Association

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

  The building site has been continuously occupied by an Anglican church since its purchase in 1847. The current building is the fifth to have been built on site and continues the association with the Anglican Church and the Anglican Diocese of Wellington.  

• Association

  Is the item associated with an important historic event, theme, pattern, phase, or activity?

  The building is associated with the development of the suburb of Johnsonville.

• Archaeological

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

  The building may be deemed to be part of an archaeological site under the Historic Places Act (1993) due to the presence of pre 1900 buildings.

• Technological

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

  The building has technological value for the use of concrete as the main structural material.

• 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?

  The building is the fifth Anglican Church to have been constructed on this site in the past 160 years. It has had few intrusive modern additions or alterations and makes a strong contribution to the sense of place and continuity of the suburb of Johnsonville.

• Sentiment Connection

  Is the item a focus of community sentiment and connection?

  The church has been the site of traditional social ceremonies associated with the key events in the lives of its congregation. It will be therefore form the focus of community sentiment and connection for many of its parishioners, and their friends and family.

• Symbolic CommemorativeTraditional Spiritual

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

  St John’s Church is currently in use as the Parish Church for the Anglican Parish of Johnsonville and as such has symbolic and spiritual value for Johnsonville’s Anglican community.

• 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?

  The building has retained a significant amount of original fabric, therefore it has authenticity.

• Local Regional National International

  Is the item important for any of the above characteristics at a local, regional, national, or international level?

  As a historical Anglican church, and with its position as a landmark, the building is important on a local level.

Not assessed

• Fearnley, C. Early Wellington Churches. Wellington: Millwood Press, 1977.
• New Zealand Historic Places Trust Professional Biographies. ‘Frederick de Jersey Clere.’ Accessed 14 September 2012.
• Johnsonville Anglicans. Accessed 14 September 2012.
• Taylor, H.M. Anglo-Saxon Architecture, Vol.3. Cambridge, 1978.
• Wellington City Council. ‘Corner of Bassett Road and Ironside Road, Johnsonville.’ Wellington Heritage Building Inventory 2001: Non-Residential Buildings. Wellington City Council, 2001. BASS1.

Not available

Not available