St Barnabas' Church (Ōpunake)

This Anglican church in Ōpunake is described by the architect, Frederick de Jersey Clere, as "early French influence, with steep inclination of the roof, and tall belfry also giving a Gothic effect".

The church was dedicated on the 2 June, 1895 by Archdeacon T. Fancourt. The cost of the building was £276.17.6 - the project helped by the donation of timber by Mr Vickery (5,000 feet) and Mr Rua Bishop (1,000 feet).

The wooden buttresses were added in 1897 to strengthen the church from the strong westerlies. The distinctive belfry was demolished in 1969 according to Susan MacLean (author of "The Churches of Frederick de Jersey Clere"). The Opunake Heritage Inventory report states this occurred in the 1950s; the later date is more likely to be correct.

In 1991 the church was moved 180° so that it could be extended by linking it with the parish buildings behind. MacLean comments that the greatest loss was, "Clere's innovative west elevation, sacrificed to preserve the rest of the building".

Further reading: St Barnabas' Opunake, A Hundred Years On 1995, Kate Mickelson.

Related documents:

Church renovation well under way (Daily News 1 October 1991)

Opunake Church Extensions Dedicated (Daily News 3 Dec 1991)

Pioneering coastal priest dies (Daily News 23 August 1995)

Of passing interest, Kelvin Day (Taranaki Daily News 9 July 2013)