St John the Evangelist Church (Ōmata)

This small Anglican Church in Ōmata was opened on 14 February, 1875 by Archdeacon Govett of New Plymouth. The church was designed by George Robinson and built by Thomas Penwarden.

It is described in a Heritage New Zealand report as being "...typical of many country churches of the period which reference Gothic Revival architecture....simple design consisting of a porch, nave, vestry, with a small sanctuary built off the east end." (Historic Place Category 2)

A  strong gale knocked the church over in 1894 and when re-erected the church was considerably smaller due to damage at the eastern end.

In 1906 a small sanctuary was added to this east end and a small belfry added over the west gable. The war memorial obelisk was erected outside the gate in 1922. Major renovations were undertaken in 2003.

The first St John's Church in Ōmata was built in 1848 on a section on Waireka Road. It fell into disrepair following the Taranaki Wars.

Further reading: St John's Church, Ōmata, Compiled by Owen Williams, April 2021. (TRCT283 WIL)

Related documents:

Renovations for Historic Building (Sunday Express 22 February 1970)

Historic Church Celebrates First Hundred Years (Daily News 8 February 1975)

100 Years Old Today (Taranaki Herald 14 February 1975)

Omata church birthday (Daily News 30 April 1990)

Dismay at theft of gates (Daily News 18 January 1999)

The Anglican Parish of West New Plymouth: St Chad's and St John the Evangelist 75th Jubilee 1933 - 2008 (Taranaki Research Centre Information Files)

Old church honoured (Taranaki Daily News 16 April 2012)

Of passing interest (Taranaki Daily News 11 March 2013)