Oruaiti Chapel

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Oruaiti Chapel , built in 1861
Interior of the small church

The Oruaiti Chapel in Heritage Park of Whangarei in Northland , New Zealand , is a 1861 built small wooden church. It is considered to be the smallest church in New Zealand.

geography

The church is located in the Heritage Park of the Kiwi North Museum in Whangarei City, around 4 km from the city center. The museum and park are located directly on New Zealand State Highway 15 .

building

The small church building is made entirely of Kauri wood. The church is said to have felled only a single tree. The basic structure of the building is octagonal , so it has eight outer walls. The church measures 18 feet on the diagonal and an estimated 6 meters to the top. The building can accommodate a good 20 people.

history

In 1859 a group of English settlers reached Doubtless Bay and settled in Oruaiti , 22 km south of Mangonui . Two years later they built this church in their settlement. Originally the roof of the church was covered with reeds, but replaced by shingles in 1866. From 1870 the church was also used as a library. In 1919 the roof was renewed and also covered with hand-made roof shingles made of Kauri wood.

The church was in private hands and not affiliated to any denomination until 1936, but was mainly used by members of the Wesleyan and the Anglican Churches . In 1936 the church was left to the Methodists , who moved the church away from the water to a more central location in the settlement due to road construction. In 1946 the church was finally moved to Whangarei and placed in the Methodist compound on Kamo Road . There the small church was used for weddings and as a Sunday school for the congregation.

In 1975 the building was finally donated to the Northland Regional Museum in Whangarei (now called Kiwi North ) and was given its place where it still stands today. In 1990 the roof was replaced one last time with cedar shingles .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Information board of the museum outside the church.
  2. ↑ In the church there is a text on a DIN A4 page about the history of the church.

Coordinates: 35 ° 44 ′ 34.8 ″  S , 174 ° 16 ′ 19.2 ″  E