Our History.

St Peter’s in the Forest.

The church of St Peter’s in the Forest is situated at 150 Bombay Road, Bombay, 50 kilometres south of Auckland City and close to the northern boundary of the Bombay-Pokeno parish. In early 1866 Bishop Augustus Selwyn paid a walking visit to Bombay (then known as Williamson’s Clearing) and decided that a place of worship should be built there, halfway between Drury and the Waikato River, in the neighbourhood of the immigrants from the ship Bombay who had settled there in 1865.

The foundation stone was laid on March 8, 1867 and dedicated in October 1867. It was used then as a meeting place, and a school as well as a spiritual centre. Although built in the Selwyn era the building does not have the traditional Selwyn architectural appearance as seen around Auckland churches of that time.

The church is notable for the many generous benefactors it has had ranging from a beautiful brass lectern and carved altar frontal to stained glass windows, including the fine East Window given by the Misses Wright, from Broughton, England in 1906. The window was made by Mrs Heaton, Butler and Bell of London and the design is the Ascension of our Saviour. The inscription “Lo I am with you always, even unto the end of the world” is taken from Matthew chapter 28 verse 20.

St Mary on the Hill.

Anglican worship has been held in the Pokeno district since the early 1860’s. Initially worship was held at the Queen’s Redoubt where a small wooden church was built. Sadly, this church was destroyed by fire in 1867 and following that services were held in a number of locations, including the local school, a practice that continued for the remainder of the century. As the district grew in population and as more farm land was claimed from the local swamp land the need for a permanent church became apparent.

In 1890 Francis William Pyne arrived from England and purchased 700 acres of land in the Pokeno valley. We believe that this was on behalf of his benefactor, Miss Harriet Johnston who arrived about a year later. A large homestead had been built and this became the home of Harriet Johnston until her death in 1916. It was a home she shared with Francis Pyne and his wife and daughter.

Harriet Johnston was already a benefactor to the district having paid for the construction of a local hall. In 1899 she offered to fund the construction of an Anglican church and to pay for the stipend of a resident clergyman. The church of St Mary on the Hill as it was to be known was consecrated on 25 March 1901 by Bishop Cowie. It was an imposing building with a tall spire which could be seen for miles around. Its design by architect Edward Bartley, was of Gothic Revival style. The church has a peal of three bells and an impressive stained glass window on the west wall, both being gifts from Harriet Johnston.

Anglican worship has continued in the church, apart from a brief period shortly after Miss Johnston’s death when there were disputes over Francis Pyne’s obligations under the terms of her will, to continue paying the stipend for the minister.