St Aidan’s at Mt Somers

123 Hoods Rd
Mt Somers 7771

Worship services are held on the 1st and 3rd Sunday of every month at 4.30pm, starting with a light dinner.

St Aidan’s was built in 1900 by Baker Brothers of Ashburton to plans drawn by Clarkson and Ballantyne. Much of the cost of the church and nearby vicarage (now a private home) was funded by generous local Alfred Edward Peache, who owned and ran Mt Somers Station from 1884-1905.

Mr Peache’s foresight and design oriented the main parts of the church to the sun, and he also ensured it was anchored down on its NW end, against the strong prevailing NW. The anchors remain, alongside a small and functioning bell tower.

The total cost for church and vicarage £1000.

The Church was built on land had been given in 1882 by James Aitken and Frederick Chamberlain.

A memorial Lychgate was erected in 1928. The church sits partially hidden among trees that include totara, hawthorn and oak. There is also a memorial garden, with rhododendrons and plenty of holly.

St Aidan’s has some very nice stained-glass windows, the main window, located behind the altar is the memorial window, the first side window is a memorial to two local soldiers killed in WWI. Gerald, Harold, sons of James Harrison.

St Aidan’s opened August 30, 1900.

Source: Ashburton NZ history FB group Belinda Breeze Cimino