Read: a church with a long story

Christ Church stands in Russell, a historic town in the Bay of Islands. It is often recognized as the earliest church in New Zealand that remains standing today. The church was built in 1835–36, before the Treaty of Waitangi was signed in 1840. Russell was then known as Kororāreka. In 1845, fighting reached the town during the conflict often called the Flagstaff War. The church has marks in its walls that are commonly identified as bullet holes from that fighting. They are clues to a difficult time, but a mark by itself cannot tell us exactly who made it or what happened at that spot. The churchyard contains old graves and headstones. These can provide evidence about people who lived in or were connected with the area. A headstone may give a name, dates or other details, though weathering can make inscriptions hard to read. Historians compare such clues with information beyond the headstones rather than guessing. Today, Christ Church is both a place of Christian worship and a historic site. People may attend services, remember those who have died, or visit to learn about Russell’s past. Visitors should be considerate: keep voices low if a service is happening, follow any signs, and treat the building and graves with care. The church’s history is connected to a wider story of Māori and Pākehā relationships, settlement and conflict in the Bay of Islands.