The Nave

1, 2, 3 These photos highlight the plaster groined ceiling of the nave and plaster roses on the ceiling. There are seven large roses on the ceiling in the nave and seven small roses cast in plaster for each of the aisle ceilings.

The timber work of the ceiling would have been done at the same time Mr D. W. Woods was doing the main roof timber framing. The timber used for the intricate work of the groined ceiling was Kauri and ranged in dimensions from sixteen inches by four inches down to six inches by three inches. The profiles and curves of the finished groined ceiling were obtained by cutting the bulk timbers to the required shapes. Baltic pine timber lathes were fixed to the underside of the shaped timbers to take the plaster applied by the contractors, Ferry and Washer. The plasterers then proceeded with the richly moulded ribs and the decorative centre roses. The height to the groined ceiling from the floor in the nave is fifty-four feet, and in the aisle twenty-five feet. The ceiling over the temporary sanctuary was likewise plastered by Ferry and Washer in early 1886.

In December 1982 R.G. Ravehwood Ltd spruced up the interior walls and ceilings for the first time in about 50 years. The Nave was carpeted and the pews on the side aisles were altered and rearranged to better access and to show the grandeur and majesty of the aisle pillars.

A view of the south side of the Cathedral with the six Oamaru stone columns forteen feet high forming the seven arches twenty-four feet from floor level surrounded with stone carving by Mr L. J. Godfrey, the Saints stained glass windows, and the clerestory windows in the upper wall. At the base of the Oamaru stone columns are two courses of Melbourne stone. Mr Petre imported this hard stone from Wilson, Corben and Co., Melbourne, in 1881. The masonry work for this Contract No. 2 and all the masonry work in the Cathedral was done by Parker and McNamara. At the opening of the Cathedral, Bishop Moran paid tribute to these contractors, saying: "It is due to their skill and painstaking attention that the plans of the architect have been so faithfully carried out. Several portions of the Cathedral required very expectional treatment on the part of these contractors with the masonry, especially the Oamaru stone groined roof of the front porch. This was a most difficult task. It has been most successfully executed by the contracting firm's foreman, Mr Crawford, who has shown himself in every respect a thoroughly efficient tradesman."

The Main Points of the Nave

The foundations of the Cathedral comprise 40 concrete piles ranging in size from 4-8 foot square sunk 30-40 feet to rest on the bluestone reef. Had the original plan been fully implemented, there would have been a total of 84 piles.
The height of the front towers from floor level is 80 feet (24 metres).

The measurements of the Nave are Length 80 feet (24 metres): Width 50 feet (15 metres).
The height from the floor level of the Nave to the highest point of the groined ceiling is 52 feet (16 metres).
The seating capacity since the rearrangement of the pews is about 500.