The church is associated with the growth and development of the Anglican church in Upokongaro. The first church services were conducted at a hotel and by the mid-1870s, regular Anglican services were being held in the Upokongaro schoolroom. At the end of 1876, a meeting was held to discuss building an Anglican Church and the keys to the completed church were handed over on October 6th 1877.

The first service at St Mary’s was held on 11 November 1877 and in July 1879 the church was consecrated by the Bishop of Wellington, Octavius Hadfield.

A stained glass memorial window above the altar was installed by Henry and Frances Montgomery in memory of their son, Archibald, who drowned when the Shaw Savill clipper ‘Avalanche’ sank in the English channel in 1877. Two pairs of stained glass windows, in memory of Captain Alexander Mongomerie, were installed in 1892, placed in the newly built chancel.

The Church is still in use as a Church and has an active local Friends group which ensures its ongoing maintenance and restoration.

• Heritage NZ Inventory Link: https://www.heritage.org.nz/the-list/details/163
• District Council Heritage Link: https://data.whanganui.govt.nz/wdc/HeritageSheets/32.pdf
• Owners website/facebook: https://www.whanganuianglicans.org.nz/sundays
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHYwKKe49Qs

 

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