St Peter's, Onehunga was designed and built in 1848 by the building Department of St John's College at Meadowbank. Dr Purchas, the first vicar of St Peter's, served the Church for some time while still resident at St John's College and it is said that he was associated with Mr Thatcher in its design and supervised its construction. It is a very early example of the Selwyn style, a time during which (according to Knight) the finest examples were being produced.
It is important both for its design and construction and its associations with early church history and the life of Dr Purchas, a most important early settler, of rare talent as a doctor and architect. This is probably the only building remaining in the Auckland area closely associated with the doctor. Strangely this historic building has not been given a heritage classification. It deserves recognition due to its importance and associations with the earliest settlement phase of Onehunga. Civic Trust Auckland hopes to have that oversight remedied.
The prefabricated type of construction adopted, allowed for the possibility of this building being relocated in the future. Even on its relocated site, it is still situated in a reasonably relevant context of early settler buildings. However, it is situated on land earmarked for a possible urban railway and visible only down a long driveway. It is hoped that a more appropriate location can be found for this important heritage building elsewhere within the central Onehunga locality.
When originally constructed, arrangements were made for a central tower to be located at the transept. This provided a structural problem requiring strengthening in 1853. It also proved to be functionally inadequate and within a few years the tower was moved. In 1866 the nave was widened and lengthened, but eventually that part of the building would be removed to make way for the new and current St Peter's structure, which was commenced in 1930. Enlargement of that building required the complete removal of this, the remaining elements of the original building. It was moved in 1980 to its present position, a rear lot at 55 Grey Street and has been in use since as a scout den.
Bibliography
K Davis: History of St John's College
C. R. Knight: The Selwyn Churches of Auckland, A H and A W. Reed, 1972
Edna Soar: History of the Anglican Church of St Peter's Onehunga-a Centennial publication
