The Lansdowne Presbyterian Church is currently sitting on the back of a truck, ready to be moved to a new location.
The church, which opened in 1912 on the corner of Totara St and Te Ore Ore Rd, was bought by Neil and Phillipa Paviour-Smith on October 13, 2022.
The couple’s plan is to move it to Carrington House, their property in Carterton, because they don’t want to see it demolished.
“We thought it might have been pulled down to build more properties,” Paviour-Smith said.
“We brought it with the full intention of moving it to Carrington House and restoring it.”
Although the building will no longer serve as a place for religious gatherings, Paviour-Smith plans to run occasional charity events using the building and the surrounding gardens.
His main motive behind purchasing and moving the building is to “save the building, especially the nice timber and windows on it”.
Moving the structure is scheduled to take place on Monday night, depending on weather conditions.
“To move the church, the roof needs to be taken off and transported separately,” Paviour-Smith said.
“This is due to the overhead power lines present and the unjustifiable cost to remove them.”
The annex on the side of the building will not be restored, Paviour-Smith said, because it was not part of the original design and was probably built in the 1960s.
Went to Sunday school there.
Got marred there 1968.
Had family funerals there.
Sad to see it go.