Former Chapel: Now Te Whare Wahine-part of the Y.W.C.A Complex

Bishopt CourtThis building, in 2008, is located to the south of the old house, and is physically directly linked into the Main YWCA halll complex. This view is of the rear of the building as the front is contained within the hall linkage space. Original features include the form, the clay tiles, the side entrance, and the trussed interior space. It was a simple building with central entrance foyer and one single church space. This is still clearly evident today. It was a red brick building, and also had copper spouting.

The significance of the Former Chapel is determined using Criteria for Determining Significance of Cultural Heritage Resources

The criteria includes the following:Te Whare Wahine

  1. The Former Bishopscourt Chapel is a place of local historical significance, reflecting the development of the Anglican church in the Waikato from the 1920s. It also today is importan locally in making a place for Maori women within the YWCA in the Waikato. It is, along with the Parr House typica of a number of combination of manse and small church within one property. The unusual component is that this was the Waikato's Bishop's Court, which is of regional significance.
  2. This place is strongly associated with Bishop Cherrington, the first Bishop of the Waikato Anglican Church, as a gift to the Church. It is no longer associated with religious events in the current community but is now strongly associated with Te Whare Wahine, significant in the history of the waikato YWCA.
  3. It has some potential to provide knowledge of Waikato history.
  4. As Te Whare Wahine, it is of importance to tangata whenua, including Nga Roopu Wahine Kai Whakiro, the National Maori Women's Carving Group, the Maori women associated with programmes held by the YWCA and Whakahou Services;
  5. The place is recognised for its current use within the YWCA community. It is not well known in the Hamilton community. It was however identified in 1997 Waikato Heritage Study as a place of local significance, along with the house. It was put forward for inclusion in the Hamilton City Council Heritage Register.
  6. The potential of the place for public education, will in the future the historical associations and interior carvings of Te Whare Wahine.
  7. Foster, the Architect, is well known for his works, in Auckland, and for some minor works in Hamilton. The use of red bricks was unusal in the use of this strong colour in the period. The installation of new end windows, and addition of stucco on the exterior, has changed this component of the original design.
  8. This place has symbolic value that is significant to the establishment of the Waikato Dioces of the Anglican Church, and now secondly as the Te Whare Wahine from the late 1990s. This is particularly evident in the carved interior, dating from 1999.
  9. The Former chapel signifies the establishment of the Dioces of Waikato for the Anglican Church in 1927, and is important symbolically marking this historical development.
  10. The Chapel and its historical use is typical of a number of regions in New Zealand. The construction type and design is also typical of small local chapels. It is however one of only a few chapels built in Hamilton in the late 1920s. Since 1998 the historical significance of the next period of use or revitalisation as Te Whare Wahine for Maori women within the YWCA. This has added a new layer within the building with special carvings, which may be rare if further research is undertaken.
  11. The former chapel forms part of a historical complex, of three different Waikato histories, the Parr Family, as Bishopscourt in the late 1920s-1950s, and now as the historical home for over fifty years of the YWCA in the Waikato.
  12. The Chapel today is easily identifiable within the rear section of the 1960s Hall. It is painted a very distinctive green that highlights the original gable form. The old entrance door is still evident although the building has been connected into the main complex. The change in terms of the exterior also includes stucco over the old red bricks, but this was done many years ago. The interior of the former chapel and its original use as a chapel is evident in the roof trusses and ceiling. Today the interior strongly represents the transformation of the building into a Women's space in the 1990s, and this in term forms part of the significance of the place. In terms of condition, subject to structural investigation, the building appears sound and in good condition for its age, with the interior being refurbished within the last fifteen years. Once the story of the chapel is told it is clear that the house and chapel belong to the earlier use of the place as a home and religious place as Bishop's Court.