St. James the Great, Christchurch

A quiet oasis amid the bustle of Riccarton Road, the Anglican church was begun in 1923 as a memorial to local men killed in the First World War. Constructed of brick, faced with Halswell stone, the exterior of the church has a number of cherubim, each thought to be a likeness of those who built the church. A unique feature of the interior is the heraldic painting adorning the rafters and walls. Each timber arch bears heraldic shields with Greek symbols and the Roman cross, symbolising Jesus. There are also coiled snakes, shells, the Star of David, lilies and Lebanon cedars.