Knox Church, Dunedin

Knox Church is one of the most notable and important buildings in Dunedin, New Zealand, the city's second Presbyterian church, and the city's largest church of any denomination [Croot, p.101] . Situated close to the city's university at the northern end of the CBD on George Street, the church is visible from much of the central city area.

The building was designed by Robert Lawson, and construction, in 13th century Gothic style, was begun in 1872. It is the second building in Dunedin to be called Knox Church; the first, established in 1860, was the second presbyterian church to be opened in Dunedin, and was a large wooden structure sited in Great King Street, close to the current site of the University of Otago Faculty of Dentistry [Croot, p.99] . Though this structure was only ever intended to be a short-term home for the Knox congregation, the onset of the Central Otago Gold Rush exacerbated the need for a grander and more permanent church, as the fledgling city had quickly boomed in both size and prosperity.

Church officials conducted a design contest for the new structure, which was won by Lawson. His original plans, however, were discarded as they would have exceeded the church's £5,000 budget, and the deacons fell back on a design by David Ross. For insisting on employing an inspector of works who "could be bought at any time with a pot of beer",cite web|url=http://www.historic.org.nz/Register/ListingDetail.asp?RID=4372&sm= |title=Knox Church (Presbyterian) - Register of Historic Places|publisher=New Zealand Historic Places Trust|accessdate=2008-08-31] Ross's contract was annulled within two months by the church authorities who again approached Lawson (Ross sued, but was awarded a mere £2 in damages) [Croot, p.101] .

The church eventually cost £17,757, and was opened on November 5, 1876. Constructed of bluestone from quarries close to the Water of Leith, and with Oamaru stone dressings and spire, its plan forms a Latin cross, with a nave 30 metres in length and 22 metres in average width. The spire rises to a height of 51 metres. Unusually for a New Zealand church, it contains two pipe organs, a large Hill, Norman, & Beard organ installed in 1931 and extensively refurbished in 1974, and a smaller oak-case instrument originally installed in a church in Christchurch [Croot, p.102] .

Due to maintenance requirements and the installation of a new fire sprinkler system, the church closed for the first time in June 2008, with the congregation joining that of First Church for the three month project. [cite web|url=http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/10616/knox-church-closes-major-upgrade|title=Knox Church closes for major upgrade|last=McNeilly|first=Hamish|date=23 June 2008|publisher=Otago Daily Times|accessdate=2008-08-31]

References

Further Reading

*Croot, C. (1999). "Dunedin churches, past and present." Dunedin: Otago Settlers Association.
*Ross, A. (1976). "They built in faith: A short history of Knox Church, 1860-1976." Dunedin: Crown Print.

External links

* [http://www.knoxchurch.net The church's website]