Avebury House
Nau mai, navigators!
You’ve arrived at Avebury House and gardens. Thanks for joining me on this section of the Green Spine trail.
Follow me as we explore the grounds of this grand old house, which was once owned by a Christchurch mayor. It is now a community centre.
Kei hea? Where?
Make your way to the front lawn of the house (by turning off the trail into Evelyn Couzins Avenue, or by making your way from Richmond Community Garden).
From this vantage point, you are more likely to appreciate the grandeur of this Victorian era house, built in 1885 by William and Dorothy Flesher. Imagine what living here would have been like in the house’s early days.
Ko wai? Who?
Three successive generations of the Flesher family called Avebury House ‘home’ before it evolved into the council-owned community centre you now see in front of you. James and Margaret Flesher, the second generation owners, made significant additions to the house; including the verandah, ‘service wing’ for domestic staff, and tower.
James was a barrister and civic leader. He was mayor of Christchurch from 1923 to 25, having previously been the mayor of what was then known as ‘New Brighton Borough’. He also contributed many years of public service as a city councillor. In his public duties, James played an active role in many key areas of the city’s ongoing development.
When James died in 1930, his obituary said:
“it was not the length of his public service, long as that was, or the number of positions he occupied, many as they were, that gave him his conspicuous place among the public [leaders] of the city, but the force and capacity that he constantly exhibited”.
Today, both Avebury House and you – my human trailblazers – are witness to a new era of civic development.
In fact, the idea of a Green Spine (which is an infrastructure project to preserve the health of the Avon Ōtākaro River and surroundings, as well as a fun trail for you humans) emerged from a small group of volunteers. As they worked on the small garden at the back of Avebury House, they looked out at the nearby tiny forest {URL} and bare sections and started talking and dreaming of what you are enjoying today!
In what ways can you – like James Flesher and the Avebury House volunteers – contribute to the future of this place, your city, your tūrangawaewae?
Links to check out more stuff below!
Article about Green Trail beginnings https://www.nzgeo.com/stories/the-greening-of-the-red-zone/
Find out more about Avebury House and early Richmond
https://www.aveburyhouse.co.nz/uploads/4/7/2/0/47203855/h-flesher-talk_1956-10-16__1_.pdf
More about Mayor James Flesher
https://my.christchurchcitylibraries.com/james-arthur-flesher/
Next steps:
Whānau activity
List everything you see that starts with the letter ‘A’. The person with the longest list wins! (Or do it as a group, and see how big your list gets.)
Avebury House classes
https://www.aveburyhouse.co.nz/classes-and-groups.html