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St. Paul's Presbyterian Church / Former St. Andrew's Church National Historic Site of Canada

56 James Street South, Hamilton, Ontario, L8P, Canada

Formally Recognized: 1990/03/23

View of an entrance porch of St. Paul's Presbyterian Church / Former St. Andrew's Church, showing its steeply pitched roof and intricate woodwork, 1994.; Parks Canada Agency / Agence Parcs Canada, J. Butterill, 1994.
Exterior view
View of the side of St. Paul's Presbyterian Church / Former St. Andrew's Church, showing the tower with a striking stone spire, 1994.; Parks Canada Agency / Agence Parcs Canada, J. Butterill, 1994.
General view
View of the interior of St. Paul's Presbyterian Church / Former St. Andrew's Church, showing its original interior woodwork, 1994.; Parks Canada Agency / Agence Parcs Canada, J. Butterill, 1994.
Interior view

Other Name(s)

St. Paul's Presbyterian Church / Former St. Andrew's Church National Historic Site of Canada
St. Paul's Presbyterian Church / Former St. Andrew's Church
Église presbytérienne St. Paul / ancienne église St. Andrew
St. Paul's Presbyterian Church
Église presbytérienne St. Paul
St. Andrew's Church
Église St. Andrew

Links and documents

Construction Date(s)

1854/01/01 to 1857/01/01

Listed on the Canadian Register: 2009/06/22

Statement of Significance

Description of Historic Place

St. Paul's Presbyterian Church / Former St. Andrew's Church National Historic Site of Canada is an elegant stone church with a soaring stone spire. Built during the mid-19th century in the Gothic Revival style, it is located in the heart of downtown Hamilton. Official recognition consists of the building on its legal property.

Heritage Value

St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church / Former St. Andrew’s Church was designated a national historic site of Canada in 1990 because:
- it is a fine representative example of the Gothic Revival Style.

Built in 1854-1857 for the Anglican congregation of St. Andrew’s, St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church / Former St. Andrew’s Church is an elegant example of the Gothic Revival style in a small, urban parish church. Designed by architect William Thomas, it reflects the influence of the Ecclesiological Gothic Revival movement, which favoured historically correct plans based on medieval English parish churches. St. Paul’s exemplifies many of the principles of the Ecclesiological Gothic Revival movement in its scale, composition, and simple, historically accurate detailing. The chancel was extended by architect Hugh Vallance near the end of the nineteenth century.

Source: Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada, Minutes, February 1990.

Character-Defining Elements

Key elements contributing to the heritage value of this site include:
- features based on medieval English parish churches, including the historically accurate ornamentation, the interior woodwork, the side porches, and the tower with a striking stone spire;
- features which exemplify Ecclesiological Gothic Revival principles for parish churches, including, its small scale, the positioning of the tower over the main entrance, the north porch, the prominent chancel, and the simpler yet historically accurate detail;
- its use of historically accurate ornamentation, including Gothic arches, tracery, pinnacles, and buttresses;
- the square tower over the main entrance with its striking stone spire, pinnacles, and paired and louvered, pointed-arch windows;
- its deep entrance porches with steeply pitched roofs and intricate woodwork;
- its original interior woodwork;
- features which depart from Ecclesiological principles, including an interior gallery.

Recognition

Jurisdiction

Federal

Recognition Authority

Government of Canada

Recognition Statute

Historic Sites and Monuments Act

Recognition Type

National Historic Site of Canada

Recognition Date

1990/03/23

Historical Information

Significant Date(s)

n/a

Theme - Category and Type

Building Social and Community Life
Religious Institutions
Expressing Intellectual and Cultural Life
Architecture and Design

Function - Category and Type

Current

Religion, Ritual and Funeral
Religious Facility or Place of Worship

Historic

Architect / Designer

William Thomas

Builder

n/a

Additional Information

Location of Supporting Documentation

National Historic Sites Directorate, Documentation Centre, 5th Floor, Room 89, 25 Eddy Street, Gatineau, Quebec

Cross-Reference to Collection

Fed/Prov/Terr Identifier

386

Status

Published

Related Places

n/a

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