The original section of the church was designed by B.W. Mountford and his son C.J. Mountford.

The church was consecrated in 1886.The ferro-cement extension was designed by Frederick de Jersey Clere and was opened on 7 February 1915.

A significant building in the city of Hastings for four important reasons:

• Architectural value - an important example of work by two of New Zealand’s ecclesiastical architects from two distinct periods and styles. The stained-glass windows, especially those of Karl Parsons, are works of art in their own right.

• Historic value - Hastings has few major buildings that pre-date the earthquake and fewer still from the 19th Century.

• Technological value - ground breaking use of reinforced concrete. The church is a repository of building trade practices of the late 19th and early 20th Centuries.

• Cultural value - the church plays a pivotal role in the social, cultural and spiritual life of the community.

• Heritage NZ Inventory Link: St. Matthews Anglican Church Hastings