Norsewood’s former St David’s Church restored and up for redevelopment

Norsewood’s former St David’s Presbyterian Church with its new NZ Heritage powder blue paint job.

Visitors to Norsewood might notice the town’s former St David’s Presbyterian Church in its new NZ Heritage powder blue livery, with a for sale sign announcing it’s ready for a new role.

The church was built by parishioners in 1895, with Dannevirke architects Finch and Lamb adhering to the gothic revival style of the time, creating a building that was subsequently registered as a Category Two Historic Place by the Historic Places Trust in 1993.

It served the community well, especially when it became the only church in the village, being a major venue for gatherings and activities. The church was used twice a month for Sunday services and occasionally for ecumenical services.

Sadly, as patronage declined the church was put up for sale and bought by private owners in September 2022, who began to renovate the building.

The deconsecrated and restored church is on the market.

Carried out in close communication with the NZ Historic Places Trust, the renovations of this property have been completed to an exacting standard and include painting, rewiring, covering the irreplaceable leadlight windows with protective perspex on the outside, and the addition of a heat pump, new water system and heating, together with insulation where possible.

Keen to enhance its historic character, the owners removed its Pinex ceilings and interior walls, revealing a beautiful wood ceiling in the foyer. In the former Sunday school the original external wall with leadlight windows was uncovered. The floor has been sanded to reveal native timbers.

The front fence is a new construction but an exact replica of the original.

Now the former church is again on the market, promoted by Real Estate Agents PGG Wrightson as a potential commercial opportunity, perhaps a gallery, retail business, craft centre, art studio, conference and education space, wedding venue or a yoga retreat.

Dave Murdoch is a part-time photo-journalist based in Dannevirke. For the last 11 years he has covered any community story telling good news about the district.