The Taranaki Cathedral Church of St Mary is built on a site selected by Bishop Selwyn in 1842. A simple stone structure when it first built in 1845-46, many subsequent additions have resulted in the present impressive and complex building.
The architect of the original structure was Frederick Thatcher. According to the 1995 NPDC Heritage Study, others responsible for the additions include: G. Robinson, B.W. Mountfort (Christchurch), J.Sanderson, Frank Messenger, R.W.Syme and Alingon Group Architects (Christchurch).
Earlier known as St Mary's Church, on 6 March 2010 the Church was consecrated as the Taranaki Cathedral Church of St Mary.
The Taranaki Research Centre holds a large number of items associated with St Mary's, including plans, photographs and documents. This early Survey Office (SO) plan indicates the location of the graves of early burials in the churchyard.
Thanks to the work of Margaret Alington, the history of the church is recorded in her thesis and a book titled "Goodly Stones and Timbers, A History of St Mary's Church, New Plymouth".
In October 2015 it was announced that the Taranaki Cathedral Church of St Mary would have to close for earthquake strengthening. The Cathedral remains closed in 2023.
Please do not reproduce these images without permission from Puke Ariki.
Contact us for more information or you can order images online here.
The information on this website is provided for general research and reference only. While we try to keep content accurate and current, we make no guarantees about its completeness or correctness. It should not be considered a replacement for a LIM or a Property Report. Some content is supplied by third parties. Puke Ariki has not verified this content and users should check its accuracy before relying on it.The inclusion of a building on the website does not imply heritage status. See SCHED1 in the NPDC District Plan for a list of buildings that have rules about what can happen to or around them (administered by NPDC). See the New Zealand Heritage List for a list of buildings that are celebrated for their heritage significance but are not subject to rules (administered by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga). Should any corrections need to be made to the records or for more information please contact us.
