Donovan’s World

I wrote and illustrated Country Churches of New Zealand. It was published in 2002 by New Holland, Publishers and is still on sale in bookshops. The publishers have kindly agreed to me re-publishing some of the book’s images and descriptions in this blog.

The town of St. Bathans had such a fabulously rich goldfield that miners turned what was once a 120m hill into what is now the flooded crater of the 50m deep Blue Lake.

St Patrick’s was built in 1892 for Catholics and has a ’stone lasts forever’ look about it that contrasts with corrugated iron St Alban’s up the road. A misleading impression, for like the nearby Vulcan Hotel, it is built of sun-dried mud brick.

I did my work in the churchyard on a chilly spring morning, my feet in dew-wet grass and periwinkle but as I sketched, the sun picked its way across the tombstones and lit up a magnificent horse chestnut in full bloom, probably as old as the church.

© DON DONOVAN 
 
donovan@ihug.co.nz

I’m a cheat! When I did this watercolour of St. John’s it was being re-decorated and the dull buff walls were about to be painted white with green windows and doors. So I anticipated the decorators by a day or two.

Built in 1858, it’s the oldest Anglican church in Otago - many of the tombstones around it are even older. The land was given by Johnny Jones of nearby Matanaka who also paid to have it built.

It is claimed to be B.W. Mountfort’s architecture but I’ve been expertly advised that there is neither proof of his authorship nor does it fit his style.

© DON DONOVAN
 
donovan@ihug.co.nz

I wrote and illustrated Country Churches of New Zealand. It was published in 2002 by New Holland, Publishers and is still on sale in bookshops. The publishers have kindly agreed to me re-publishing some of the book’s images and descriptions in this blog.

This endearing little church was built in 1864 but not opened until 1872. Why the long gap is a mystery, as many of the church’s records have been lost or destroyed, but I presume ‘opened’ means consecrated.

It’s described as pseudo-Gothic, and is made of concrete with brick in-fill and a veneer of local stone (from Kakanui, I’ll bet). It has a Georgian interior with fine east and west windows by Donald Harman of Dunedin.

By juggling an occasional visiting Dunedin vicar, a local part-time lay minister, and a retired preacher from Waikouaiti, the small congregation still manages services most Sundays.

© DON DONOVAN  

donovan@ihug.co.nz