Greywacke church, Peel Forest

Greywacke church, Peel Forest

The Church of the Holy Innocents at Mt Peel Station, South Canterbury, is built out of greywacke boulders from the Rangitātā River bed. The facings are of Mt Somers limestone. It was built under the supervision of William Brassington, an experienced Christchurch stonemason. All the boulders were shaped by hand – not an easy job, as greywacke does not split easily.

The church was a gift to the community by J. B. A. Acland, an early runholder. It commemorates three infants who died between 1864 and 1869.