Those walking or travelling down Riccarton Road – known as Harewood Road in them days – during 1851 or thereabouts, I’m sure would have slowed their step and craned their neck in wonder at what was rising out of the Shands Estate. What was that crazy John Shand up too? Is that a tower? Widower …
This was the site of the first rural Catholic Church, built in 1871 – Shands Road, Canterbury. The parish of this tiny church (Church of the Most Blessed Sacrament) stretched from The Conway (Kaikoura) to the Rangitata River! (Ashburton) The land was gifted by Patrick Henley and the first Father was named Chervier. If Chervier’s …
