St John’s Church NZ Wars Mem

St John's Church NZ Wars Memorial

Te Awamutu

St John's Church NZ Wars Memorial

1888

Details

Location	Te Awamutu – 162 Arawata Street
Commemorating	NZ Land Wars
Mediums	Stone
Listing	HNZ Cat 1, Waipā District Plan Cat A (St John’s Church)
Links	NZ History, HNZ Listing, Ministry of Culture and Heritage Manatū Taonga, Te Awamutu Museum Collections Online

Description

This Imperial and Colonial Forces Memorial adjacent to the Old St John’s Church was erected in 1888 by the government to honour imperial and colonial troops, as well as kūpapa Māori who fought alongside government forces during the Waikato War including battles such as Rangiaowhia, Hairini, and Ōrākau in 1863–65. It is made of sandstone with a marble inscription panel and cross on a three-tiered base in the church cemetery.

Many of the men memorialized remain unnamed, and their remains are believed to be buried nearby. The site is of significant historical importance, as it reflects the complex legacy of the New Zealand Wars within the Waipā and the nuanced relationships between Māori and colonial forces.

St John’s Church Sundial

St John's Church NZ Wars Memorial

Te Awamutu

St John's Church NZ Wars Memorial

1919

Details

Location	Te Awamutu – 162 Arawata Street
Commemorating	NZ Land Wars
Mediums	Stone, cast metal
Listing	HNZ Cat 1, Waipā District Plan Cat A (St John’s Church)
Links	NZ History, HNZ Listing, Te Awamutu Museum Collections Online

Description

The St John’s Church WWI Memorial, a sundial presented by Postmaster W.F.Y. Stewart in 1919, stands in the St John’s Anglican Church cemetery in Te Awamutu. The sundial is inscribed with the words:

“IN MEMORY OF ALL THOSE WHO FOUGHT AND THOSE WHO FIGHTING FELL / NOT ONLY IN DEFENCE OF THEIR HOME AND KINDRED BUT FOR OUR EMPIRE / – PRESENTED BY – / WILLIAM FAIRBAIRN STEWART / – 1919 – / POSTMASTER TE AWAMUTU.”

Chosen for its proximity to other Waikato War memorials, the sundial was damaged shortly after its installation but restored in 1931 by Stewart’s brother.

St John’s Church

St John's Church

Te Awamutu

St John's Church Māori NZ Wars Memorial

1914

Details

Location	Te Awamutu – 162 Arawata Street
Commemorating	NZ Land Wars
Mediums	Stone
Listing	HNZ Cat 1, Waipā District Plan Cat A (St John’s Church)
Links	NZ History, HNZ Listing, Ministry for Culture and Heritage Manatū Taonga, Te Awamutu Museum Collections Online

Description

The St John’s Church Māori NZ Wars Memorial commemorates Māori supporters of the Kīngitanga who died from wounds sustained at Hairini and Ōrākau in 1864. The memorial obelisk, erected in 1914, stands in front of the St John’s Church and marks the site where the remains of these individuals were interred at the request of George Selwyn, the first Anglican Bishop of New Zealand.

This site is significant for its connection to the Māori resistance during the New Zealand Wars, particularly the 1864 Invasion of Waikato.

Mātakitaki Monument

Pirongia

Mātakitaki Monument

Unknown

Details

Location	Pirongia – cnr Franklin Street (SH39) and Mātakitaki
Commemorating	Musket Wars
Mediums
Listing	Waipā District Plan Cat A
Links	NZ History, Te Awamutu Museum Collections Online – Mātakitaki, Te Ara Wai Journeys – Pirongia (Mātakitaki)

Description

The Mātakitaki Monument in Pirongia commemorates the 1822 Musket Wars battle where Ngā Puhi, led by Hongi Hika, attacked the pā, leading to over 1,500 Waikato lives lost. The site features a waharoa, old Heritage plaque, three pou symbolizing remembrance and unity, and a guardian ruru sculpture (Te Uri) representing protection.

Built on land at the junction of the Waipā River and Mangapiko Stream, Mātakitaki Pā relied on waterways, ditches, and palisades for defence. The memorial’s unveiling ceremony, attended by leaders like Kingi Tūheitia Paki and Tom Roa, highlighted reconciliation and a hopeful future. Pirongia and Mātakitaki Pā are featured on Te Ara Wai Journeys, an online digital site which shares stories of historical and cultural significance in the Waipā region.

St Andrew’s Church

St Andrew's Church

Cambridge

St Andrew's Church-Stained Glass Windows

1923

Details

Location	Cambridge – 85 Hamilton Road
Commemorating	WW1, WW2
Mediums	Stained glass
Listing	HNZ Cat 1, Waipā District Plan Cat A (Church building)
Links	HNZ Listing, NZ History, Cambridge Museum

Description

St Andrew’s Anglican Church in Cambridge, New Zealand, is renowned for its exceptional war memorial stained-glass windows. The First World War windows, unveiled in 1923, feature symbolic figures of Truth, Freedom, and Justice, alongside depictions of Gallipoli, Ypres, and the storming of Le Quesnoy. Beneath them lies a roll of honour dedicated in 1929.

The Second World War windows, dedicated in 1953, honour the Army, Navy, and Air Force, accompanied by a roll of honour listing 19 names. Additional commemorations include a painting and plaque marking the storming of Le Quesnoy, presented during a 1997 visit by an official delegation from the French town.