In 1878, when artist John Kinder painted this watercolour of the master's residence and dining hall, St John's Theological College was surrounded by spacious grounds on its hilltop site in Meadowbank, Auckland. Kinder was master of the college at the time. The college was founded by Bishop Selwyn in 1843 at Waimate in the Bay of Islands, transferred to Auckland in 1844 and moved to its current site in 1846. As well as educating and training Anglican clergy, the college in the 19th century included a boys’ school which taught practical as well as religious subjects. From 1902 the college’s primary function was the training of Anglican clergy.