New Plymouth Buildings
The architectural make-up of New Plymouth since European settlement stretches from the early cottages of the1840s to the shiny steel-plated exterior of the planned Len Lye Centre. In between has come the transition from timber buildings to concrete, the art deco of the 1930s and the modernism of the 1960s. While a few private residences remain from the early days of European settlement, the Central Business District looks nothing like early paintings and photos. The early wooden buildings have mostly been demolished or destroyed by fire to be replaced by larger reinforced concrete premises. Both commercial and domestic buildings feature in this topic, which can be searched either by the age of the building or its location.
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Explore New Plymouth Buildings on the map below - buildings in blue are still standing in their original location; those in red have been either demolished or shifted outside New Plymouth District/to an unknown location; those in purple have been relocated within New Plymouth District.
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Latest 10 topics
2018 View
This large single storey villa appears to have been constructed in the 1890s, possibly for New Plymouth ironmonger Alfred Hughes Arnold and his family, although land ownership for the later decades of the nineteenth century is somewhat unclear.
Alfred’s wife, Emily, is first listed in electoral rolls as residing on the ‘Hospital Road’ (now Mangorei Road) from 1896, whilst Alfred is simply listed as residing at ‘New Plymouth’ until 1898, when he is listed as residing on the
National Bank of New Zealand (Puke Ariki collection, WD.017151)
The National Bank of New Zealand first opened a branch in New Plymouth in April 1873. These first premises were in Devon Street - where the Deare's Building is located - and in 1878 the bank purchased a section on the south-east corner of Brougham and Devon Streets.
Construction of the building
Located on the corner of St Aubyn Street and Egmont Street, this Lion Tavern opened for business on 6 August 1970. It was described as catering for the "discerning drinker" with the private and lounge bars offering "comfort and privacy." The public bar on the ground floor was designed to cater for 90 patrons.
The building was designed by a team of architects from New Zealand Breweries and cost $190,000. It was built by Jones & Sandford Ltd.
Later Bond & Bond converted the Lion Tavern into a retail outlet.
2019 View From Sale Listing
The story of the present house at 88A Carrington Street begins at a sale of Education Board leases in May 1902, when Stephen Boothby White and G. H. Maunder purchased the lease for lot 2 of sub 4 of Education Reserve W; they paid a total of £22 10s. Two months later, during July 1902, White and Maunder surrendered their lease for this property and had the section subdivided in two, with new (separate) leases for
Tupare is a Chapman-Taylor designed residence on Mangorei Road. The plans were prepared in 1932 for Russell and Elizabeth Matthews, a substantial private home in the traditional English-style design.
A clause in the specifications allowed for 'alteration' to the design and Chapman-Taylor agreed to work "...under instructions from Russell Matthews Esq. who will himself employ the workmen and supple the materials and will place the work under the controlof the Designer who will act as Architectand as Foreman in charge of the job. Therefore this Specification will take the
This attractive villa residence was likely constructed during the mid-1900s for Carl Sorensen.
Carl purchased the property on which the villa is located (Part Section D of Hua & Waiwhakaiho District) in March 1904 and appears to have had the present villa constructed as his family home soon after.
In 1906, Carl discovered on the property large deposits of high-quality Kaolin, a pure white clay for ceramics. These Kaolin deposits attracted considerable media attention and in 1908 the farm was sold to an international consortium who hoped to mine the clay from
2017 View: By Hamish Crimp
This house was originally constructed as investment/rental property for William John Shaw in 1903, with the house extensively renovated during 1929.
William Shaw resided in the house at present 5 Rogan Street, and from 1890 owned a large area of land along Gover, Rogan & Gilbert Streets - this property included part Section P (now comprising Lot 2 of DP20617), on which the present house at 99 Gover Street is constructed.
2019 View: Open2View
This house was one of two adjacent villas constructed as investment/rental properties for William John Shaw during 1900-01.
William Shaw resided in the house at present 5 Rogan Street, and from 1890 owned a large area of land along Gover, Rogan & Gilbert Streets - this property included part Town Sections 1686 & 1687 (now comprising Lot 2 of DP4140), on which the present house at 56 Gilbert Street is constructed.
Although no building permit exists for the construction of this house as
A permit was granted to Alfred Smith on November 4th 1919 for the construction of a 'cottage' on Town Section 1300 (this is a mistake in the permit book, it should be section 1301) in Buller Street - Jones & Sandford were the builders and the house had an estimated construction cost of £800.
This house is thought to be the second dwelling constructed by New Plymouth firm Jones & Sandford.
Smith sold the property to Thomas Willson in July 1922 (who also purchased neighbouring 14 Octavius Place at the same time).
The house was one of three dwelings removed
A permit was granted to Alfred Smith on June 21st 1919 for the construction of a residence on Part Town Sections 1286 & 1287 in Octavius Place - Jones & Sandford were the builders and the house had an estimated construction cost of £910.
This house is thought to have been the first dwelling constructed by New Plymouth firm Jones & Sandford.
Smith sold the property to Thomas Willson in July 1922 (who also purchased neighbouring 53 Buller Street at the same time), with Wilson listed as residing at the Octavius Place property until the 1943 edition of Wises Post
