Community of the Sacred Name

The Community of the Sacred Name was a former Anglican religious compound in central Christchurch featuring a chapel, novitiate building, and residences arranged across the site. The structures displayed different architectural styles constructed over a span of years in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

The community was established in 1893 when Edith Mellish arrived from London to create a group of deaconesses at the request of Bishop Churchill Julius. Growth followed with new buildings designed by notable local architects over the next two decades.

The site was named for the religious devotion of the sisters who lived there, and it served as a center where Anglican women carried out their spiritual work and community service in Christchurch.

Visitors should know the site was heavily damaged by earthquake activity and no longer displays its original full structure. Access and conditions have changed significantly due to preservation and recovery efforts at the location.

Some of the damaged timber buildings were transferred to a local charity and received substantial restoration funding. This means portions of the original structures continue to serve a purpose rather than disappearing entirely from the cityscape.