MonoMonday #56: Church of the Holy Innocents

OK, so not as 'ancient' as some places, but it's old for New Zealand! 

"The Church of the Holy Innocents at Mount Peel Station was a gift to the community by John Barton Arundel Acland (1823-1904) and consecrated by his father-in-law, Bishop Henry John Chitty Harper, 30 May 1869. The church is named in remembrance of three infant children who died between 1864 and 1869 and are buried in the churchyard cemetery, among them Barton Dyke Acland eldest son of J Barton Acland d. 7 Mar 1863 at Mt Peel and Emily Dyke Acland,  2nd dau. of J.B.A. Acland, d. 27 Oct 1864 aged 7 months.  Both Acland and his partner Charles G. Tripp (1820-97) were devout churchmen. They were one of the first runholders in South Canterbury and took up Mt Peel Station in 1855." (from http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nzlscant/peel.htm)

It's a pretty church with a wonderful view over the river terraces of the Rangitata. Sadly, it did not fare so well in the September 2010 earthquake, with the magnificent stained glass window above the altar being destroyed by the 7.1 magnitude quake. A restoration project  taking 18 months rebuilt the window, the most severely damaged in Canterbury, and it was then displayed in the Quake City exhibition in Christchurch from 2013.

Further repairs are required on the church, but by the looks of things it will be some time before they are complete.

This seat looks out towards the river terrace, its inscription reading "Beyond the mountain peak / across the shining sea". Next to it lie the remains of the stonework that once surrounded the window, neatly arranged, waiting for it to come home to Mount Peel.