Chalmers Church full of grace
The Chalmers Church spire is one of several that appear on the skyline of Timaru.
Designed by James Turnbull and built in 1903, this handsome church is an example of Gothic Revival architecture and sits on a prominent position in the centre of Timaru.
Constructed in cementplastered brick and painted a ghostly grey colour, it quietly provides a calm, serene and solid presence amid the hustle and bustle as Timaruvians go about their daily lives.
The spire, which can be viewed from many angles about town, is really beautiful. Although it is not as ornate as some that grace our inner-city churches, it remains to me, a favourite.
The building itself is an oblong with the usual projections for vestries and porches, the tower and spire occupy the central third of the northern end.
The tower below runs to 21 metres high and the spire, topped by an appealing ornamental finial, takes the total height to 36.5m.
The inside of the spire is constructed of complex wooden framing and the exterior is covered with patent interlocking zinc tiles. There is some investigative work being done on how to replace the few missing tiles that the wind has shifted. This will be done using modern systems and there will be no visible difference in the end result.
Light is provided by several windows at its base and the large louvres that can be seen below are for the bell chamber. I wonder if you heard the joyous sound of the bells ringing across Timaru recently? These were rung by church member, Albert Makary, to celebrate the end of the Covid lockdowns.
Renovation of the spire will be part of the ongoing upgrading and strengthening work about to be undertaken by the new owners, with some of the scaffolding already in place.
This simple but striking church is still being used as a place of worship. Timaru’s Coptic Christian community have purchased the building and are part way through a stunning interior renovation.
I look forward to following the progress, both interior and exterior, of this project with great interest.