Avebury House History
Avebury House is set within Avebury Park, an English-style garden setting with expansive lawns and large deciduous trees. The grounds also includes a popular children's playground and a paddling pool.
Built as the Flesher family homestead in 1882, the heritage house was refurbished by the Christchurch City Council in 1999 after many years as the Cora Wilding Youth Hostel. The house is managed by the Avebury House Community Trust for the community to enjoy.
The Avebury House Community Trust was established by local residents to provide a place where local community groups could gather and give back to the people of Richmond. Despite the tumultuous times following the earthquakes with damage, road closures, and a loss of part of our community, the Trust has continued to soldier on and remains focused on keeping Avebury House fully operational and available to the local community.
The Richmond Room is open daily for visitors to learn more about Avebury House's history and its surrounding gardens.
Built as the Flesher family homestead in 1882, the heritage house was refurbished by the Christchurch City Council in 1999 after many years as the Cora Wilding Youth Hostel. The house is managed by the Avebury House Community Trust for the community to enjoy.
The Avebury House Community Trust was established by local residents to provide a place where local community groups could gather and give back to the people of Richmond. Despite the tumultuous times following the earthquakes with damage, road closures, and a loss of part of our community, the Trust has continued to soldier on and remains focused on keeping Avebury House fully operational and available to the local community.
The Richmond Room is open daily for visitors to learn more about Avebury House's history and its surrounding gardens.
AVEBURY HOUSE - A brief history
1851: Rural Section 197 was purchased for £150.00 by Dr. John Seager Gundry, a surgeon from Wiltshire, England. He named the property ‘Avebury’ after his home in West England. The cottage he built forms part of Avebury House today.
1858: Gundry sold all his belongings and moved back to England. He described Christchurch as ‘a town without form or comeliness’.
1871: The 25 acres of Avebury was sold to William Flesher for £500.00. William took a great interest in, and played an active part in public and church matters, particularly in the Richmond, Avonside and New Brighton communities. He had a law firm in the city.
1882: Land prices increased and the property was valued at £1,500.00.
1885: Avebury House the Flesher family home was built and it was designed by the Christchurch architect James Glanville. Glanville designed the large two-storey dwelling with a north facing veranda on the ground floor, and a single-storey service wing at the rear, which incorporated the existing cottage. The layout and many of the interior features of the house remain much the same. The entrance hall led to the drawing and dining rooms. On the east side of house was the kitchen, cloakroom and pantry and on the west side was the breakfast room. The finely carved handrail on the staircase led upstairs to three bedrooms, a bathroom and a lavatory as well as maid’s quarters.
1889: James Flesher inherited the property on his father’s death. James was also a lawyer and continued his father’s law firm J.A. Flesher and Son. He was very involved in local affairs and became Mayor of Christchurch from 1923-1925. Flesher Avenue is named after him.
1907: Glanville was commissioned to design alterations to the house. The north façade was radically changed to become larger, grander and more decorative. A tower was added to the north-west corner, the drawing room and the master bedroom above were extended and bay windows added. An open balcony was created on the first floor and a decorative gable was added to the main entrance
1930: James Flesher died and his son Hubert inherited Avebury.
1945: Hubert sold Avebury House and eight acres to the Crown.
1951: The property ownership was transferred to the City Council. It was used by the Plunket Society.
1960’s: The house was in bad repair and the Christchurch City Council considered options, including demolition. The Youth Hostel Association approached the Council with a plan to lease the building and use it as a hostel. It was leased for a nominal rental for five years with the option for renewal.
1966: The Cora Wilding Youth Hostel officially opened after thousands of volunteer hours were required to repair and alter the house.
1987: The Youth Hostel Association undertook extensive maintenance work on the exterior of the house.
The lease ran out ten years later.
1997: The Youth Hostel closed as it was no longer fit for purpose.
1999: There was a call for the house to be demolished because it would be too costly to repair.
The Richmond Community, the Hagley-Ferrymead Community Board and a number of Christchurch City Councillors encouraged its reuse as a community facility.
2001: The Avebury House Community Trust was formed to administer the house on behalf of the community.
2002: After 3 years of refurbishment, Prime Minister, Helen Clark officially re-opened Avebury House on the 18th of September.
2010/2011: The house sustained moderate damage in the earthquakes. Restoration work included foundation repairs and sub-floor strengthening, repair andreinstatement of damaged interior walls and ceilings, and additional bracing. The chimneys required rebuilding. Avebury House is now earthquake strengthened to 100 percent of the New Building Standard (NBS).
2013: Avebury House re-opened in September 2013 and is again operating as a community facility.
The Richmond Room on the 1st floor houses an interesting collection of Avebury and Richmond history. Parts of the collection are available online here.
Avebury House is considered to be of metropolitan heritage significance.
In May 2019 Avebury House was listed as a Catergory 2 historic place by Heritage New Zealand. This means Heritage New Zealand-Pouhere Taonga acknowledges Avebury House as 'having historical or cultural significance or value'. We believe in preserving heritage, while also inviting our community to use and enjoy the house and grounds as a beautiful public amenity.
This information was taken from:
District Plan – Listed Heritage Place. Heritage Assessment – Statement of Significance Heritage Item Number 1324 Former Dwelling and Setting, Avebury House – 9 Eveleyn Couzins Avenue, Christchurch.
Christchurch City Council. 2015.
Avebury - The History of a House. (2003). Jan Moody.
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