St Mary's Halswell
St Mary’s on the Halswell, built in 1863, was
the first Church to be built on the plains south
of the city of Christchurch - ‘for fear the
people would lose touch with Godliness.’Designed
by Benjamin Mountford, the Church was built from
local materials. The piles and buttress
foundations used stone from Halswell Quarry;
totara walls and black pine flooring was pit
sawn timber from Kennedy’s Bush. The roof was
clad in hand sawn shingles. The framed lead
light windows came as a completed set shipped
from London and in 1869 a commissioned bell
arrived, requiring a bell tower to be erected.
 The Church built on a Government Reserve
required an act of the provincial Parliament to
transfer the title deeds. The time taken for
this process delayed the consecration of the
Church and Cemetery, by Bishop Harper, until
19th October 1871.The occasion was marked by the
planting of a Wellingtonia tree which can still
be seen between the church and the domain.
 In March 1891 Bishop Julius reopened the Church
after refurbishing - including a complete set of
altar furniture furnishing and vessels; lead
light windows renewed with cathedral glass; an
organ chamber built to form a south transept and
roof reshingled with finial crosses in gilt and
cresting added.
The ‘Henry Willis’ pipe organ (built in 1862) with hand blower,
first featured in an exhibition in South Hagley Park and after
service in St Luke’s Kilmore St, and Holy Trinity Congregational
Church Worcester St, was installed in the new south transept of
St Mary’s. It replaced a Harmonium and was electrified in 1957.
Halswell was part of the Addington parish from 1875 to 1894.
It was then attached to Riccarton until 1898 when it became a
separate district with the Rev. Henry Williams as the first vicar.
 In 1891 a Lychgate of rimu and jarrah; in memory of Charles Pitt
Beadel (Manager of the Cashmere Estate, was erected on the bend
in the road as an entrance to the church grounds. Main
road realignment in 1973 caused its removal to its present site
at the entrance to the Cemetery. It was reshingled and
reoiled at that time. In 1996 George Steel donated money
for the construction of a Halswell stone columbarium which is an
attractive addition to the more formalised modern part of the Cemetery.
In 1898 the Vicarage was built and Canon Williams became the
first appointed Vicar of the newly formed District of Halswell - Tai Tapu - Greenpark.
It was enlarged and altered several times, possibly because
it was the focal point of the Church’s social activities as
well as housing some large families. It was retained for
nearly a century until eventually sold in 1992.
One of three sets of silver Communion vessels, presented by the
Canterbury Association of England to the Canterbury settlement
in N.Z. (and which was used for services aboard one the first
four ships), arrived in Lyttleton in 1850; was presented to St Mary’s
in 1863; and is still in use today.
1956 saw the appointment of Rev Riga Blair and in 1957 the
Parochial District of Halswell - Prebbleton was created; becoming
a Parish in 1972. By 1959 a Parish hall had been built,
dedicated and opened by Bishop Warren. In 1997 a Vicar’s and
Parish office was added.
Fire destroyed the church sanctuary, vestry and organ in
December 1967. Fortunately water sprayed on the stained glass
windows above the altar, designed by Bishop Warren and given by
Miss Fairburn, protected them from the flames.
A new enlarged Sanctuary (designed by D Donnithorne) was rebuilt
in Halswell stone and opened in March 1969 by Bishop Pyatt. New
Zealand’s second oldest private, complete stand alone organ was
purchased for $500 from the Calvary Hospital chapel and used
from 1969 until 1990.
 In August 1990 the Tai Tapu Methodist Church closed to join the
Lincoln Union Parish and offered our Parish their pipe organ. A
memorial to the soldiers from the district killed in two world
wars, this organ was made by N.T. Pearce, a Christchurch organ
builder and led services at Tai Tapu from 1922. Faced with the
prospect of a huge bill to transport, rebuild, refurbish and
tune the organ and with time constraints, Rev Roberton decided
that the project could be achieved by parishioners and called
together a team to dismantle it. With the help of organ
enthusiast, Bernard Bicknell, the Vicar, organist Hugh McLachlan
and several co-opted workers the final cost was $2000 but
hundreds of time had been committed to the project.
At the dedication service on August 19 1990, the Continuo Organ
was presented to the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament to be
used for small choral works and recitals.
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