Blog

The re-opening of Taranaki Cathedral is a step closer following the granting of resource consent for the earthquake strengthening and refurbishment of the historic church. “It’s a really pleasing result and an important milestone,” The Cathedral Project remediation and design manager Jenny Goddard said after the New Plymouth District Council (NPDC) reported its decision. “It gives us surety around the design for the remediation of the cathedral and enables the drawings to now be developed further by a range of specialists... read more

Neil and Raewyn Wolfe with the commemorative certificate of their wedding day at St Mary’s Church. Being fashionably late to her wedding wasn’t an option for bride Raewyn Phillips – hers was just one of four held at St Mary’s Church on a busy Saturday in April 1966. “Our service was at 11am and the Reverend stressed to us that I couldn’t be late because there was another wedding at 1pm,” says Raewyn, who married well-known Taranaki rugby player Neil... read more

The Government’s multi-million dollar commitment to the development of Taranaki Cathedral has given the project team confidence work can be under way by May next year. “This funding gives us the ability to really look ahead with surety and set dates for when work can begin,” The Cathedral Project remediation and design manager Jenny Goddard said. “We can now accelerate our planning with engineering specialists and consultants, and begin preparing resource consents to push ahead with the work. “By May 2019... read more

Taranaki Cathedral Dean Peter Beck says a Government announcement today to invest up to $5 million for the development of the Cathedral is a “fantastic boost” for the project. “This is fabulous and gives some certainty around the future of our historic Cathedral,” Dean Peter said. “We are greatly appreciative and excited by this announcement. “There is still a lot of work to be done and we are truly thankful for the tremendous support the New Plymouth and wider Taranaki... read more

The Taranaki Cathedral’s significance to the community and its vision for the future has led the New Plymouth Bridge Club to make a generous $2800 donation towards The Cathedral Project. Each year the club selects a local charity or community organisation as the recipient of money raised at the President’s Charity Night, and this time The Cathedral Project was chosen. The New Plymouth Bridge Club’s immediate past president Murray Carter said more than 120 people took part in the fun evening,... read more

Ensuring visitors to Taranaki Cathedral are given a warm welcome is behind an initiative to monitor the temperature and humidity in New Zealand’s oldest stone church. Two sensors have been placed in the cathedral – one inside the entrance of the church and another near the altar – and will gather data on temperature and humidity variances. A third has been positioned outside the church as a comparison. The Taranaki Cathedral Project remediation and design manager Jenny Goddard says the aim... read more

A hui at Taranaki Cathedral Church of St Mary on September 10 will set out and consult on the developing vision for the restoration and refurbishment of the cathedral and the historic site on which it sits. It’s expected to draw iwi representatives, as well as members of the Crown and churchgoers from Anglican parishes around the region. Over the last 20 years the Anglican community in Taranaki has reflected on the history of its relationship with Māori. This culminated... read more

Breaking big projects down into lots of small, manageable and consecutive steps is really what project management is all about. Cathedral Remediation + Design Manager Jenny Goddard says that over the last few months a few of those important steps in The Cathedral Project have been tackled. In June, soil testing was completed. Hamilton-based Beca geotechnical engineer, Madeleine Prebble and Jordan Young, an undergraduate in mechanical engineering (and son of New Plymouth MP Jonathan Young), were on site to gain more... read more

The Very Reverend Dean Peter Beck is deeply passionate about leading the charge to restore Taranaki Cathedral Church of St Mary’s. His dream is to see the completed $15m project, named The Cathedral Project – A Taranaki Taonga, open its doors to all. “The cathedral will be a place of welcome for all faiths and none,” predicts Dean Peter, pictured above on the left with Archbishop Philip Richardson. “This building will have its way with you. I do sense the... read more

Taranaki videographer Keith Finnerty has filmed this video of the cathedral’s interior. Watch it above or here. The short visual walk-around reminds us of the beauty and serenity of the historic building – one of the top 50 sites to visit in New Zealand. It also helps to see parts of the church you would not normally view such as the very tops of the organ pipes and the soaring roof. Note that the video was filmed after the removal... read more