“On Friday last (30th November 1883) a pretty little iron and wood church was opened and consecrated at The Dargle, Upper Umgeni, by Bishop Macrorie, assisted by the ‘resident clergy’, the Rev. Messrs.

Methley and Burges, and Archdeacon Usherwood and the Rev. F. Green of Maritzburg, and the Rv. Shears of Pinetown, the former popular incumbent of Upper Umgeni.

The new Episcopalian Church at the Dargle, which has been erected by the efforts and industry of the residents in the district, measures 40 feet in length by 30 in width.”

St Andrews’s Church was built on land, in extent – “1 acre and 5 perches more or less” which was given by Robert Speirs to the Trustees, for religious educational or benevolent purposes for the use of the English Church otherwise the Church of the Province of South Africa at the Dargle in the Parish of Karkloof for the site of a church with burial ground and parsonage and a glebe if necessary.

The gift was accepted on the 21st April, 1882, by Kenneth Martizburg (Bishop Macrorie). The Deed of Transfer and gift being signed on the 5th May 1882.

The original church was a wood and iron structure which served until 1934 when the new brick church was completed, the old building having been transported across the road to a site given by Mr P D Kimber of an African Church. St Andrew’s Church and Cemetery were consecrated on the 30th November 1883.