Knox Church has stood proudly in George St for almost 125 years, its 50m spire still soaring over surrounding buildings. However, the magnificent edifice had a rocky start.
The first home of the Knox congregation was a wooden church on the corner of Great King and Frederick streets, where the Hunter building is now.
Completed in May, 1860, it seated 578 worshippers, but it soon became clear it was too small.
Although it was enlarged the following year, eight years later the congregation started to plan for a new church capable of seating 1000.
The site at the corner of Pitt and George Sts was bought, and a competition for the best design held in 1871.
The winning design was that of RA Lawson, architect of First Church, which was still under construction, and several other notable Dunedin buildings.
However, it was disqualified because it cost more than the £5000 specified.
After much discussion and many tenders, a cheaper design by David Ross was accepted and Dr Stuart laid the foundation stone.
Ross was a member of the Knox congregation and had also designed several important buildings in Dunedin, including the Moray Pl Congregational Church, the older block of Otago Museum and Fernhill, Johnny Jones' house, now the Dunedin Club.
However, serious differences of opinion arose between Ross and the building committee over the stone to be used and the appointment of an inspector of works who "could be bought at any time with a pot of beer".
The contract was annulled and the dispute ended in a lawsuit, which upheld the committee's decision.
A new building committee was appointed and in 1873 Lawson's original design adopted, although spiralling inflation had more than doubled the price.
In November 1876 the first services were held.
The church had cost £18,383.
Not only is the handsome Gothic building of local bluestone with Oamaru stone facings a city landmark, it also has a magnificent hammer-beam ceiling with curved rafters sprung from horizontal beams.
