St George's Anglican Church (Pātea)

This Anglican Church in Pātea is registered as a Category 1 heritage building with Heritage New Zealand.

It was built in 1885 to a design by Frederick de Jersey Clere. The original plan was for a church to seat 305 people, however due to the financial situation of the congregation Clere redrew the plans to accommodate 100 fewer people.

Susan Maclean in her book, "Architect of the Angels; The Churches of Frederick de Jersey Clere", calls St. George "one of his most original and delightful churches, built for £630 and consecrated in March 1885".

She describes the design as "five equilateral triangles, two sides of each forming the roof rafters which are carried down to floor level. The third side forms the base and ties in the feet of the other two sides. The portions of the rafters projecting beyond the walls function as buttresses, providing stability in the coastal Pātea winds".

In the 1950s the church was in poor repair and major renovations were undertaken with the supervision of Auckland architect Rigby Mullan. It was re-piled and rewired, the vertical board and batten exterior reclad with asbestos cement, and the original roof shingles covered with corrugated iron. St George's was re-dedicated by Bishop Eric Rich on 27 April 1957.(Maclean)

Further reading: "Centennial of Saint George's Patea 1885-1985" (TRCT 283 WOR) and "Architect of the Angels; The Churches of Frederick de Jersey Clere". (TRC726.5092 CLE).

Related documents:

St. George's Anniversary (Taranaki Daily News 3 May 1935)

History in a Church (Taranaki Herald 22/10/1974)

A Short History of St George's (The Patea Mail 9 September 1981)

Heritage Inventory Entry, South Taranaki District Council, January 2000.