This is all you see from the front gate, ah, but come on thru!

The door has a small section you can open to enter. 

Come take a peek inside.

The one acre of land on which both churches were built was donated by Capt. F. H. Blundell, the reading desk, which became the pulpit in this second church, was given by John Beit, leader of the German settlement and the font was given by the Rev. C. L. Reay.

The architect of the second St. Michael's was Thomas Brunner, the famous explorer and one time Churchwarden at Christ Church in Nelson.

This church was dedicated on the 5th of July 1867 and consecrated on the 13th of November, 1867.

The old building was apparently used as a Sunday School until it's supposed demise during a gale. 

This small country church has a gallery at the back of the building as seen in this photograph.

Prior to the church being built, church services were held in the brick barn of Mr. John Kerr, one of the first settlers on the Waimea Plains.

The very first St. Michael's on this site was built in 1843 and was designed to accommodate 100 people.

It opened on the 24th of December, 1843.

It had a small bell tower and the total cost of the building was 105 pounds.

This building was moved to a nearby section to the south by 1867 to make room for the second St. Michael's (the Blundell Memorial Church).

Also to be found there are the graves of the gentleman who donated the land on which the church was built, Captain Blundell, and his daughter Laura and her husband, Bishop Mules. 

The church has some interesting shaped trees in the grounds that make it an great subject for painters and photographers alike.

This page was last updated: November 14, 2006

To the rear of the church are some interesting gravestones, including that of Constantine Dillion who acted as a magistrate in Nelson and is also reputed to have helped in organization of the defence of Nelson from threatened attack following the Wairau affray.