St Alban the Martyr, New Zealand

The Church of St Alban the Martyr is a late 19th century Anglican Church located in Balmoral, Auckland, New Zealand listed as a Category 2 building by Heritage New Zealand.^[1]

Church of St Alban the Martyr
St Albans Church
Church of St Alban the Martyr
36°53′03″S 174°44′53″E
Location	Balmoral
Address	443 Dominion Road, Mount Eden
Country	New Zealand
Denomination	Anglican
Website	https://www.saintalbans.org.nz/
History
Founded	1886
Dedication	Saint Alban
Architecture
Architect(s)	A P Wilson (wooden) Henry Wingfield (brick)
Style	Romanesque (brick chancel) Norman (tower)
Years built	1884–1886
Construction cost	500 pounds
Administration
District	Mission District of Balmoral
Diocese	Anglican Diocese of Auckland
Clergy
Priest in charge	Mark Beale
Heritage New Zealand – Category 2
Designated	11 November 1981
Reference no.	511

Description

The brick chancel was designed by reverend Wingfield. It is 27 ft (8.2 m) long, 25 ft (7.6 m) wide, and 18.5 ft (5.6 m) high.^[2] The roofing of the apse uses fibre cement slates.^[3] The foundation stone bears the inscription: 'Ad majorem die glorian. This stone was laid by Moore Richard, Bishop of Auckland. August 5, 1905. Except the Lord build the house, their labour is but lost that build it (Psalm cxxvii).'^[4] The original wooden Church is the nave of the current Church.^[5]

History

The Church of Saint Alban the Martyr was built in 1885–1886 on land donated by James Paice, a wealthy land owner in the County of Eden, with funds raised by Captain H.G. Ewington.^[1] A P Wilson was the architect and it was finished on the 13th of February, 1886. Wilson had initially designed a Gothic revival Church but this was not carried out.^[6][7] In 1901 the hall attached to the Church was enlarged, with a capacity to seat 400 people.^[8]

In early 1905 the Reverend of the Church, Henry Barnard Wingfield, designed a Romanesque brick chancel. Wingfield had studied architecture before his appointment to St Albans.^[7][9] On the 6th of August, 1905, the first brick of the new chancel was laid by the Bishop Neligan.^[4] On the 20th of December, 1905, the brick chancel was finished and the Church reopened.^[2] The brick apse was completed in c.1905.^[1] Originally part of the parish of the Holy Sepulchre, in November, 1909, it was constituted as St Alban's parish.^[7][10] Further work converting the rest of the Church was planned to be carried out but due to funding constraints it was only partially carried out. This work finished on May 28, 1912.^[11]

The wooden front was originally intended to also be replaced with brick.^[4]

In early 1919 it was proposed that a monument be constructed following peace after the end of the war. Later in 1920 the construction of a tower was proposed.^[12] Later the Norman style tower was constructed c.1922 and in 1923 was dedicated to the memory of servicemen who passed in the Great War^[13] and later would include servicemen who died in World War II.^[14] The tower continues to be a part of Armistice Day celebrations.^[15]

In November 1934, the Church celebrated the silver jubilee of the parish.^[10]

Since 1950 the Church has allowed other congregations to use the building, including a Russian Orthodox Church.^[15]

In March 2011, the General Trust Board of the Anglican Diocese of Auckland issued a notice ordering the closure of the building by the end of April that year over alleged concerns of safety. The priest in charge, Mark Beale, claimed the building passed council safety standards and that the closure was an attempt to sell off the valuable property.^[15] As of 2024 the Church is still hosting services.^[16]

Gallery

• 
  Exterior of original wooden front of St Alban the Martyr
• 
  Interior of St Alban the Martyr, 1906
• 
  Exterior of St Alban the Martyr before the tower construction

References

1. "Maungawhau Heritage Walks" (PDF). Auckland Council. Retrieved 23 June 2024.
2. "St Alban's Church". Auckland Star. No. 304. 21 December 1905.
3. "St Alban's Church". New Zealand Herald. No. 13055. 21 December 1905.
4. "St Alban's Church". Auckland Star. No. 187. 7 August 1905. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
5. Parr, Deidre (1986). Centennial history of St. Albans Anglican Church, Balmoral, Auckland 1886-1986. Auckland Anglican Diocese. p. 8.
6. Parr, Deidre (1986). Centennial history of St. Albans Anglican Church, Balmoral, Auckland 1886-1986. Auckland Anglican Diocese. p. 6.
7. Laurenson, Helen (1 May 2019). The History of Mt Eden - The District and its People. Epsom & Eden District Historical Society. pp. 127–128. ISBN 9780473460013.
8. "St Alban's Hall". Auckland Star. No. 184. 16 August 1901.
9. Parr, Deidre (1986). Centennial history of St. Albans Anglican Church, Balmoral, Auckland 1886-1986. Auckland Anglican Diocese. pp. 8–9.
10. "Jubilee Services". New Zealand Herald. No. 21958. 15 November 1934. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
11. Parr, Deidre (1986). Centennial history of St. Albans Anglican Church, Balmoral, Auckland 1886-1986. Auckland Anglican Diocese. p. 10.
12. Parr, Deidre (1986). Centennial history of St. Albans Anglican Church, Balmoral, Auckland 1886-1986. Auckland Anglican Diocese. p. 14.
13. "War Memorial Tower". New Zealand Herald. No. 18530. 15 October 1923. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
14. "St Alban's Church memorial tower". New Zealand History. Ministry for Culture & Heritage. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
15. Burrell, Miriam (18 March 2021). "Priest fights Anglican Diocese to save St Alban the Martyr in Dominion Rd from closure". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
16. "Church of Saint Alban the Martyr". Retrieved 25 June 2024.