I was born and bred on a farm near Geraldine and grew up in the Geraldine district. Over six generations, the Barker family have been strong supporters of the community and its institutions, if not regular with our attendance at Church. I knew the last eight Vicars, some better than others, and some were family friends. The Church was once the focal point of small rural communities like Geraldine. I’m not sure that these connections properly qualify us to own a Vicarage but they do provide an association and a respect which has made the renovation all the more poignant. These Vicars were “called to serve” their communities and there is no question, they all helped to make Geraldine a better place. Michael Barker
Why we bought The Vicarage
Having raised our family in Geraldine, Brigitte and I decided to restore this iconic building so visitors to Geraldine can enjoy the old building, our charming town and our beautiful rural hinterland. In this way we will continue to contribute to the wellbeing of this special town that we call home. The Vicarage is classified by Heritage New Zealand as a Category Two protected building and had fallen into disrepair since the last resident vicar moved out in 2000. We bought it in late 2017, aware that it was going to be a challenge to satisfy the modern building code, town planning and heritage requirements. The unexpected reward has been the hugely positive feedback from the people of Geraldine and in June 2021 we were honoured with a Highly Commended Award at the Canterbury Heritage Awards.
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What our other guests have said
Amazing place. Beautifully restored old building, everything done to the highest standard. Beautiful linen, really comfortable super king bed…I could stretch sideways
Peter
Perfect for our wedding night. Great outlook, comfy bed, lovely decor, had fab shower, coffee maker in our room. We enjoyed the complimentary bottle of wine. We had a complimentary glass of port in the lounge room before bed. Beautiful restoration but with all the mod cons. If you looking for a...
Jane W
Thank you so much for a truly exceptional experience. We absolutely loved our stay at the Vicarage. It was everything we had hoped it might be and even more. In another life (pre-Covid) we travelled quite a lot and we have thought a lot about what makes a stay more enjoyable. The Vicarage...
Gill and Dan, Nelson