Shand House stands again
by Metropol | December 12, 2025 11:23 am
A building beloved to the Timaru community – and its school’s Old Girls – Shand House is in the final stages of resurrection.
Words by Nina Tucker. Images supplied.
“Watching a building with so much history come back to life has been a truly rewarding experience,” Craighead Diocesan School’s Chief Operations Manager Renae Churchward says. The boarding house and Category 2 heritage building closed its doors when the 2011 Christchurch earthquakes left it uninhabitable. Several cohorts have walked the school’s corridors since but never stepped foot in Shand House.
“As a key part of our history, that has weighed on us,” Principal Lara Hearn-Rollo says. That desire, to restore students’ connection to an iconic piece of Craighead heritage, was an integral driver of the rebuild, a project which hopes to conclude early 2026. “Our vision is to return Shand House to its former glory and bring the building back to its rightful place as the heart of the school.”
For its almost 150-year tenure, it served students as a boarding house and schooling space – etched in the cherished memories of women who grew up and gained their education at Craighead. “It means so much to our Old Girls,” Lara explains. The iconic building is a reflection of the women Craighead strives to produce. “Shand House is Craighead,” Lara says. “It embodies the key capabilities and attributes we build in our students – strength, resilience, integrity, and grace.”
Upon its completion, Shand will stand as a new era of Craighead Diocesan School, honouring its legacy purpose – nurturing and enriching educational experiences that prepare students for future success and leadership. Its contemporary facilities reflect the modern learning environment, while heritage elements nod to a pivotal past and its forever place in the community.
HONOURING SHAND HOUSE
“Shand has stood in her place for 150 years.
We’re ensuring she will stand for another 150 years – continuing the legacy of all those who have gone before us and will go after us,” Lara says.
In December 2022, the redevelopment began with the demolition of C2, the original building Shand House had been an addition to. It had been the talk of the school for years prior under the leadership of former Principal Ms Lindy Graham and the Board of Proprietors. When plans and concepts were finalised, work began. “Earthquake strengthening formed a major part of the early redevelopment work, with thousands of brick ties and a specialised plaster system required to bring the structure up to modern safety standards,” Renae says. “A key focus of the project has been preserving the building’s historic character. This has included recreating original ceiling roses, intricate mouldings and corbels, while also incorporating modern features such as double glazing into the original sash windows.”
At the root of it all was enlisting the best team to make it happen. An extremely delicate, unpredictable undertaking. No room for error. More than a typical renovation gig, the job came with immense pressure to honour its historical integrity, uphold its community significance and meet the expectations of generations of Craighead alumni.
“The contractors involved in Shand have worked seamlessly with us, involving us at every step along the way. They have ensured that they understood our vision in order to fully realise the potential of the building,” Lara explains. Every challenge turned into opportunity. “Working on a category 2 building has its challenges – marrying the modern electrical requirements with the historical character of the house,” says Timaru’s Murray Brown Electrical. “We continue our long association with Craighead Diocesan School for the restoration and additional work for Shand House. We are proud to have our name on this project.” Thanks to an expert team of contractors, led by Henderson Building, “The whole build process has been incredibly smooth,” Renae says without an ounce of stress.
Indoors, the award-winning Maree Hynes Interiors team have made their mark. With a long-held passion for heritage homes, Maree focused on reinstating Shand’s historic character. Through heritage detail studying, she has created new cornices, panelling and ceiling roses, and era-appropriate colours and fabrics. “I’m delighted to be involved in such an important restoration for the school and district,” she says.
Moments of history have been found preserved in Shand’s walls during the rebuild. “We’ve had some incredible discoveries in the walls and floors of Shand along the way. A pristine stationery invoice made out to Miss E Shand was found dating back to the first year of Craighead as well as many treasured letters that we have worked hard to get back to families. These discoveries have offered a meaningful glimpse into the past and serve as a reminder of the many generations of girls who have lived and learned at Craighead, and of how much has changed over time,” Renae says.
Soon, the Craighead team and its contractors will swap scaffolding for scissors to cut the ribbon and declare it the heart of the school once again. To learn more about the Shand House project or make a bequest to Craighead Diocesan School, please contact Renae at development@craighead.school.nz.
Source URL: https://metropol.co.nz/shand-house-stands-again/