This picturesque board and batten church was constructed in 1903 and originally served as the Carrington Road Methodist Church. The church was originally located on the east side of Carrington Road, a short distance north of the now closed Carrington Road School, and almost opposite Hurworth Cottage, the former residence of Sir Harry Atkinson.
The church was constructed by well-known New Plymouth builder Mr Albert Arthur Pikett and cost £167 16s to complete. The building was completed during August 1903 and the occasion marked by a public tea, meeting, and entertainments on Thursday August 6th, followed by opening services on Sunday August 9th.
The Carrington Road Methodist Church remained in use on its Carrington Road site until 1951, when it was decided to relocate the building to the northern end of the Westown Methodist Church site (corner of David and Tukapa Streets), to be used as a hall. The building appears to have been partially deconstructed to enable relocation, with this work carried out using voluntary labour under the direction of well-known New Plymouth firm Riddick Bros & Still.
In 1997, it was decided to combine the Methodist congregations of Westown, Fitzroy, Whiteley and the Samoan fellowship; the Westown and Fitzroy land and buildings were then to be then sold to fund upgrades at the Whiteley Methodist Centre in Liardet Street.
A year later, during late-1998, the Westown Methodist Church Hall was relocated to its present location on Tikorangi Road East, then the property of Paul Carrington, where it was to be used as an art gallery.
Related documents:
Church to combine congregations at central city site (Taranaki Daily News 27 November 1997)
Methodist minister happy at progress following changes (Taranaki Daily News 30 November 1998)
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