When my daughter announced she and her little family were moving to Inglewood I had images of murder. For some reason I remembered cases of murder most foul occuring in Taranaki, in Inglewood in particular. It's not as if we've never had bad things happen in the north but I had decided a long time ago I didn't like Inglewood, it was murder town in my mind, the psychopath centre of New Zealand.
I first drove through the town in 1982 with news reports of a gruesome double murder fresh in my memory and I didn't like the energy of the place. And I think I remembered every bad thing I heard about the town after that. The most recent was the perverted goings on amongst the local rugby team.
So I had a few prejudices to get over. I know I went silent on the topic of my daughter's future, thinking it best to keep my dark thoughts to myself. It takes me a while to sort out some thoughts and emotions but eventually I got over it and determined to look at the town through new glasses.
I like it's old buildings and how they have been cared for and restored. This one is called the Shoe Store Building, a Category II heritage listing, so I guess that's what it was for many years.
I don't like the railway line cutting through the town, the level crossing putting the kink into SH3 as it passes through. SH3A follows the lines to the crossing, turns right to cross it, on the other side meets SH3, then turns left again as part of SH3 and follow it on the other side of the tracks.
You know me, I had to check out the churches. I've already posted shots of two of the town's churches. These are in the surrounding area.
This fellow was keeping the grass down around the back of the church. I watched as he approached the electric fence, lifted his head, stretched his neck, then gingerly leaned down to nibble on the grass on the other side. The grass is always greener? Smart horses at Tarata.
Holy Trinity Anglican Church, founded 1845, in New Plymouth
St Marks, Lepperton
The only unlocked churches I found were in Inglewood and the tiny church at Kaimata. Whenever I come across a locked church I hold my camera up to a window so I can get a peek of the inside. On future visits to Justine I must see if I can get into St Marks. I thought it looked quite lovely despite the dust motes, or maybe because of them.
Isn't this just the cutest little church? It has a prominent position on SH45, otherwise known as the Surf Highway. It is St John's at Omata and is registered with the NZ Historic Places Trust.
