Avebury House History
Prepared by the Avebury House Community Trust, 2020
1852 Dr. John Seager Gundry, a doctor in early Christchurch, purchased 50 acres (Rural Section 197) from the Canterbury Association for £150. He named the property ‘Avebury’ after his home town in Wiltshire, England.
1858 Gundry returned to England but retained his properties in Christchurch.
1871 William Flesher purchased 25 acres of RS197 for £500.00. William played an active part in public affairs and Methodist church matters.
1885 William commissioned James Glanville to design a large two-storey house as the Flesher family home. The house would serve as the Flesher family home for the next 60 years. The layout and many of the interior features of the house remain much the same today. The entrance hall led to the drawing and dining rooms. The kitchen, cloakroom and pantry were on the east side of house and on the west side was the breakfast room. 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 a lawyer. He was very involved in local affairs and became Mayor of Christchurch from 1923–1925. Flesher Avenue is named after him.
1907 James commissioned James Glanville to make alterations to the house. The north facade was radically changed to become larger and more decorative and a tower was added to the northwest 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, also a lawyer, inherited Avebury.
1945 Hubert sold Avebury House and eight acres to the Crown.
1951 The Government transferred ownership of Avebury to the Christchurch City Council. For a time, the Plunket Society made use of the house. Over the next few years, the grounds were developed as a public park, formally titled Avebury Park. A paddling pool was built south of the house in 1954.
1960s The house was in bad repair and the Christchurch City Council considered various options, including demolition. The Youth Hostel Association approached the Council with a plan to lease the building and use it as a hostel. The YHA subsequently leased the property for a nominal rental for five years with the option for renewal.
1966 The Cora Wilding Youth Hostel officially opened after many hours of volunteer work to repair and alter the house. The hostel was named after one of the founders of the Youth Hostel movement in New Zealand.
1987 The Youth Hostel Association undertook extensive maintenance work on the exterior of the house.
1997 When the YHA’s lease expired, the 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 re-use as a community facility.
2001 The Avebury House Community Trust was formed to administer the house on behalf of the community.
2002 Prime Minister Helen Clark officially reopened Avebury House on 18 September.
2010–11 The house sustained moderate damage in the Canterbury earthquakes. Restoration work included foundation repairs and sub-floor strengthening, repair and reinstatement of damaged interior walls and ceilings, and additional bracing. Avebury House is now earthquake strengthened to 100% of the New Building Standard (NBS).
2013 Avebury House re-opened in September 2013. When Richmond School (opened 1875) closed at the end of the year, several school taonga were transferred to Avebury House for safe-keeping. These include the school’s honours board and the roll of honour from World War 1, which lists the names of 325 pupils and staff of the school who served in the war. These boards can be seen in the Gordon Prince Room on the ground floor.
2019 Avebury House was classed as a Category 2 historic place by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga.
In the aftermath of the Canterbury earthquakes, Avebury House has become a vital centre for community activity and involvement for the Richmond area and in the adjoining Ōtākaro Avon River corridor. An active group of local people have developed the wonderful community garden on former red-zone land adjoining Avebury Park. The garden is well worth a visit.
The Richmond Room on the first floor houses an eclectic collection of items and information relating to the history of Avebury House and the wider Richmond area. Some of this material is now available online here.
Information for this brochure 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.
Jan Moody. 2003.
1852 Dr. John Seager Gundry, a doctor in early Christchurch, purchased 50 acres (Rural Section 197) from the Canterbury Association for £150. He named the property ‘Avebury’ after his home town in Wiltshire, England.
1858 Gundry returned to England but retained his properties in Christchurch.
1871 William Flesher purchased 25 acres of RS197 for £500.00. William played an active part in public affairs and Methodist church matters.
1885 William commissioned James Glanville to design a large two-storey house as the Flesher family home. The house would serve as the Flesher family home for the next 60 years. The layout and many of the interior features of the house remain much the same today. The entrance hall led to the drawing and dining rooms. The kitchen, cloakroom and pantry were on the east side of house and on the west side was the breakfast room. 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 a lawyer. He was very involved in local affairs and became Mayor of Christchurch from 1923–1925. Flesher Avenue is named after him.
1907 James commissioned James Glanville to make alterations to the house. The north facade was radically changed to become larger and more decorative and a tower was added to the northwest 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, also a lawyer, inherited Avebury.
1945 Hubert sold Avebury House and eight acres to the Crown.
1951 The Government transferred ownership of Avebury to the Christchurch City Council. For a time, the Plunket Society made use of the house. Over the next few years, the grounds were developed as a public park, formally titled Avebury Park. A paddling pool was built south of the house in 1954.
1960s The house was in bad repair and the Christchurch City Council considered various options, including demolition. The Youth Hostel Association approached the Council with a plan to lease the building and use it as a hostel. The YHA subsequently leased the property for a nominal rental for five years with the option for renewal.
1966 The Cora Wilding Youth Hostel officially opened after many hours of volunteer work to repair and alter the house. The hostel was named after one of the founders of the Youth Hostel movement in New Zealand.
1987 The Youth Hostel Association undertook extensive maintenance work on the exterior of the house.
1997 When the YHA’s lease expired, the 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 re-use as a community facility.
2001 The Avebury House Community Trust was formed to administer the house on behalf of the community.
2002 Prime Minister Helen Clark officially reopened Avebury House on 18 September.
2010–11 The house sustained moderate damage in the Canterbury earthquakes. Restoration work included foundation repairs and sub-floor strengthening, repair and reinstatement of damaged interior walls and ceilings, and additional bracing. Avebury House is now earthquake strengthened to 100% of the New Building Standard (NBS).
2013 Avebury House re-opened in September 2013. When Richmond School (opened 1875) closed at the end of the year, several school taonga were transferred to Avebury House for safe-keeping. These include the school’s honours board and the roll of honour from World War 1, which lists the names of 325 pupils and staff of the school who served in the war. These boards can be seen in the Gordon Prince Room on the ground floor.
2019 Avebury House was classed as a Category 2 historic place by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga.
In the aftermath of the Canterbury earthquakes, Avebury House has become a vital centre for community activity and involvement for the Richmond area and in the adjoining Ōtākaro Avon River corridor. An active group of local people have developed the wonderful community garden on former red-zone land adjoining Avebury Park. The garden is well worth a visit.
The Richmond Room on the first floor houses an eclectic collection of items and information relating to the history of Avebury House and the wider Richmond area. Some of this material is now available online here.
Information for this brochure 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.
Jan Moody. 2003.
Back to top.