The Old Manse

In 1887 an architect was asked to draw up plans for a 7 room house with stables and outbuildings. The manse was completed in 1889 with a small wash house added in 1892. Further additions and upgrades included a bath in 1906, a windmill to replace the hand pump for water in 1910, electric lights and a hot water system in 1916, a telephone in 1929 and an electric pump in 1931. In 1952 a septic tank was installed, and finally in 1983 the building was connected to mains water.

The minister of the Presbyterian church lived in this building until the new manse was built next door in 1964. Since then, the Old Manse has been used as a Sunday School venue and a general purpose building for both church and community use. It has been considerably modified. Three rooms have been knocked into one at the front of the building and one of the back rooms has been extended with an extra door added, and this was most recently used as the minister’s office. The building was rewired in 1986, reclad with metal and re-roofed in 1988-89. The exterior was repainted in 2000, and some interior plasterwork repaired and repainted in 2011 after earthquake damage.

Minor quantities of asbestos were removed by qualified contractors in February 2020 prior to planned demolition in March, and the building has also been permanently disconnected from the mains power supply.