Te Tokotoru Tapu – Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Pārāwai was designed and built entirely by Māori in 1886 and replaced the 1837 Mission Station on the hill above.

Today the church is tapu. The church grounds are an urupā and the whole complex is located on a waahi tapu site.

In 1964 Jack and Taka (Tuck) Robson of Ngāti Maru, carried out extensive restoration work on the then derelict building and more recently in 2008/09 by Don and Leo Shaw plus helpers.

The one acre of land containing the church and Playcentre is the last remaining remnant of the 350 acres of land originally gifted to the Church Mission Society.

The stream next to the church and general area is named Herewaka and was the place where waka were tied up when the people visited the original papakāinga and church.

The was a waka tied up below the church in the Waikiekie stream in early 1960’s.

The land was originally called tapu before Te Tokotoru Tapu was constructed there. It should be noted that Ngāti Maru provided the timber for the church and also helped build it.

Te Tokotoru Tapu church and associated property containing the marked graves of Te Mapu and Turipona and several unknown/unmarked burials have been entered into the Heritage NZ List as the Herewaka Wahi Tapu. The church itself has been Listed as a Historic Place (Category II) and included in the TCDC Historic Heritage Items schedule.

It’s just one of a few historically notable churches in Thames.

Location
Pārāwai. From SH25, turn right onto Banks St and continue into Parawai Rd until you get to Herewaka St where you’ll see the church.