Help Complete the Visitor Centre of Wellington’s Oldest Church

It’s a church connected to Henry Williams and many familiar names of early settler times. Christ Church in Taitā is the oldest church in Wellington and donations are being called to complete a visitor centre to tell its story.

John Daysh, volunteers on the Christ Church Cottage and Museum Trust – the group behind building a visitor centre on site that will offer guided tours and stories of the early activity of the church in Taitā and Lower Hutt.

He says, “My relative John Ings Daysh donated the heart Totara for the building of the church.

“In the graveyard you’ll find Percy’s, Matangi’s, Mabey’s, Hooper’s, Captain Mariner Holm, Welch’s, Riddler’s, Avery’s, Whiteman’s, Bucks, Judd’s, Fox’s, Peck’s, Frederick de Jersey Clere and family, Boulcott’s, Archdeacon Hansell and family, Roy Savage, Sir John Kennedy Good and many more.

“The first Vicar was Thomas Hutton, whose wife Sarah was the oldest daughter of Henry Williams, the CMS missionary who translated and promoted of the Tiriti o Waitangi.

“The Trust has worked hard and raised over $300,000 to plan and build the outside of the Centre. We are now seeking a further $100,000 to finish the inside of the Visitor Centre and fill it with displays.

To find out more about the project and to donate, please visit: https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/the-christ-church-taita-visitor-centre

Questions can be directed to John Daysh via jddaysh@gmail.com