St John's Church, Hororata

St John's Hall, now used as the church

The first building to be built on the site was a small wooden church, which was built in 1875. On 23 June 1983, the wooden church was registered by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust as a Category II historic place, with the registration number being 1785.[2] The building was later moved across the road to its present day location for the construction of the current stone church. Meanwhile, the 1881 wooden church had become the parish hall, but since the 2010 Canterbury earthquake has been used for worship services once again.

In 1910, the stone church had its foundation stone laid on 6 February 1910 and it and the building consecrated on 27 February 1911. The funds were bequested by former New Zealand Premier (Prime Minister), Sir John Hall as a memorial for his late wife, Lady Rose.[1]

2010 Canterbury earthquake

St John's Church on the morning of 4 September 2010

The church suffered major damage during the 2010 Canterbury earthquake, causing the bell tower to partially collapse into the nave and surrounding gravestones. The church's organ, which was originally installed at ChristChurch Cathedral had been totally destroyed.[3] The church will be repaired at a cost of $3 million. Local initiatives were set up in the years following the earthquake to help raise the restoration costs, notably the Hororata Highland Games (first held in 2011) and the Hororata Night Glow.[4]

• Sir John Hall (1824–1907), New Zealand politician[5]