St Andrew’s Church (original building)

When St Andrew’s first church was consecrated on 11 April 1873, it became a cornerstone of early Cambridge life.  Built for £300, the modest timber building with belfry and steeple reflected the hopes of a growing settlement.  Today, this Category A heritage building is the oldest surviving structure in Cambridge.

Designed by David Richardson and constructed by Phillip Cooper, the church followed a simple Gothic style.  It was built of timber with a slate roof later replaced with corrugated iron.  Lancet windows with fine lines and fanlights brought light into the interior, while the faceted apse, once the focus of worship, now sits at the west end.  The building stands just to the left of the present St Andrew’s Church.

Within a few years, the church proved too small for a rapidly expanding congregation.  Rather than being discarded, it was moved and served for many years as a parish hall.  In 1983, it was restored and incorporated into the new Parish Centre.

The original St Andrews Anglican church building on the right, dwarfed by the larger new St Andrews on the left. CM2958/2/22

Details

Location:  Behind St Andrew’s Church with the spire on the Corner of Victoria and Hamilton Roads, Cambridge

Date/Period: 1873

Architect: David Richardson

Builder: Phillip Cooper

Category:  Waipā District Plan Category A

Sources

Parker, Eris (1996) Alive with History, available at Cambridge Museum

Wilkinson, R (1978) Just Roamin’ p.14 available at Cambridge Museum

Holman, D (1997) Waikato Heritage Study Prepared for Hamilton City Council, Waikato District Council & Waipā District Council

Cambridge Museum Archives