Pegasus Press Building
| Pegasus Press Building | |
|---|---|
 Pegasus Press Building (now the Pegasus Arms pub) in 2019. | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Former residential |
| Location | Christchurch Central City |
| Address | 14 Oxford Terrace |
| Town or city | Christchurch |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Coordinates | 43°32′5.16″S 172°37′42.39″E / 43.5347667°S 172.6284417°E |
| Construction started | 1852 |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | two |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | William Fitzjohn Crisp (partial) |
| Reference no. | 1912 |
The Pegasus Press Building is a registered heritage building in the Christchurch Central City.[1] It is believed to be the oldest surviving building in Christchurch.[2]
History[edit]
The building was first constructed in 1852 by early Lyttelton merchants Joseph Longden and Henry LeCren. In 1853 it was sold to Dr Burrell Parkerson who went on to be the first Surgeon General at Christchurch Hospital. In 1857 it was sold to the coroner, Dr Fisher. The first meeting of the newly-formed Canterbury Medical Association was held at the house in 1865, as it had become a very well-established medical house due to being owned by a series of doctors.[3] It was again sold in 1866 to Dr Coward, who commissioned William Fitzjohn Crisp to design the second-story extension at the back of property in 1869.[4]
In 1952 the building was sold to the Pegasus Press to be used as a printing house, with a dedicated printery added at the rear of the building in 1966.[4] After the press closed in 1987, the building was relocated slightly westward and extended.[4][2] It was listed as a Category II heritage building in 1987 in response to the sale, and the New Zealand Historic Places Trust (later Heritage New Zealand) strongly objected to the renovations that occurred.[1] It reopened in 1990 as the Pegasus Arms pub.[2]
The building survived the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, and is generally considered the oldest surviving building in Christchurch.[2][1]
Gallery[edit]
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Frontage of the building viewed at street-level. -
The hanging swing sign of the Pegasus Arms pub, current tenant since 1990.
References[edit]
- ^ a b c "Pegasus Press Building (former)", Heritage New Zealand, retrieved 16 February 2024
- ^ a b c d "Heritage Assessment: Heritage Item 409" (PDF), Christchurch District Plan (report), Christchurch City Council, 20 January 2015, archived from the original (PDF) on 5 February 2023
- ^ Bulovic, Annette (6 March 2013), "The Pegasus Arms", Peeling Back History, archived from the original on 25 June 2022, retrieved 16 February 2024
- ^ a b c Christchurch City Libraries, "Pegasus Arms", Canterbury Stories, Christchurch City Council, archived from the original on 23 October 2023, retrieved 16 February 2024