Ormond Chapel
Ormond Chapel is a small jewel of a building with a valuable connection to Napier's history.
A family-friendly Eucharist service is held in the Ormond Chapel on the second Sunday of each month at 11am. All welcome!
Historic Place
Ormond Chapel is sited on Napier Terrace on Hospital Hill, and carries an Historic Places Trust Category One designation.
Originally it was the main schoolroom for the Academy for Young Gentlemen which occupied a site further along Napier Terrace from 1864. It then became the Napier Grammar School in 1867 till it closed in 1918.
Fanny Ormond bought the building and had it shifted to the present site next to her parents’ home. Once established there, it was donated to the St John’s Parish in memory of her brother who was killed in France in 1916.
It is one of the oldest educational buildings existing in NZ and one of the oldest buildings in Napier. It is unique in that its construction was for secular purposes, later being converted for ecclesiastical use.
The Chapel is built of kauri and has been modified and enlarged using rimu and pine.
A family communion service is held at Ormond Chapel on the 2nd Sunday of the month at 11am. All welcome.
Hiring the Chapel for Events
Community groups and individuals are welcome to hire the Chapel for ceremonies or events.
The lovely wood-lined space has good acoustics for music and the moveable seating can accommodate different styles of events. A separate room can be used to provide food or a breakout space. The chapel also has a pleasant garden space and nearby there’s the Botanic Gardens and ample parking.
The Chapel is ideal for smaller family services such as a wedding, baptism, funeral or memorial service, and our clergy can assist with these.
It can be a suitable space for small concerts, retreats, team building or meetings.
For full details and costs for booking an event at the Chapel please contact the Cathedral Office –
06 835 8824 or admin.cathedral@waiapu.com
