Church Hill was so named as the location of St. Aidan’s Church, which was opened in November 1902,* and stood on this site until 1967, when it was de-consecrated and moved to Awahou School (minus its steeple), to be used as a school hall (see also Wildbore 6 – Awahou School). The church, which seated 74 people, was designed by Frederick de Jersey Clere, the son of an Anglican clergyman, who began training as an architect at age 16, and emigrated to New Zealand aged 21 in 1877. As architect to the Wellington Anglican diocese from 1883, he designed more than 100 churches. Until 1904, there were mostly in country districts, and made of timber, like St. Aidan’s of Church Hill.
* the church was built at a total cost of £211, including purchase of the section (Manawatu Standard, 1 May 1903).
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