History In A Church

New Zealand Listener, Volume 9, Issue 231, 26 November 1943, Page 12

History In A Church

EW PLYMOUTH is one of the N most interesting of our towns outside the four main centres; some give it first place. It has history and beauty; it is well cared for; and one notices that indefinable thing called atmosphere. The most impressive feature of New Plymouth is St. Mary’s Church. As the visitor walks through the memorial lych-gate and notes the stone building in its setting of old trees, he may be surprised to find such a place of beauty and antiquity in what is a comparatively new country. In the care-fully-kept churchyard lie soldiers. of both sides who fought in the Maori Wars, and many pioneers. Inside the church the visitor’s surprise may grow. The grey and hoary stone is relieved with splashes of colour made by _ stained-glass windows, military hatchments, drooping flags, and mosaics. Many churches in England have some military memorials, but perhaps there are few churches anywhere with so many as St. Mary’s, New Plymouth. There are hatchments representing every regiment, British or Colonial, that fought in the

Taranaki Wars. ‘These were painted, with due régard to accuracy, as a labour of love, by the late Archdeacon Walsh of Waimate. They are a unique record of Imperial and national history. The battle honours of these regiments sound like a roll of drums down the years. The Navy is not forgotten-this hatchment was unveiled by Captain Scott, the Antarctic explorer-nor are the friendly Maoris. The parish of St. Mary’s was founded in December, 1843, and this December, New Plymouth will celebrate the centennial. The first vicar was the Rev. William Bolland, only 23 years of age, and Selwyn walked from the Thames to Taranaki to greet him. The church came later. It. was Bolland who insisted that the church should be built of stone, not wood, despite the local abundance of timber. He had his reward in one of the most beautiful and impressive churches in the country. To commemorate the occasion 2YA will broadcast a talk on St. Mary’s at 7.15 p.m. on Friday, December 3, and 2YB New Plymouth will relay it.