Canadian Historic Sites: Occasional Papers in Archaeology and History No. 25

Gothic Revival in Canadian Architecture

by Mathilde Brosseau

Illustrations and Legends

32 St. Michael's Church, Long Stanton, Cambridgeshire, England Constructed: ca. 1230 Material: stone The Cambridge Camden Society considered the small medieval churches of the 13th century to be particularly good illustrations of its architectural ideals and it encouraged copies of these models by distributing scale drawings to some dioceses in North America. This is how the model of St. Michael's Church in Long Stanton first arrived in the United States, where it inspired the composition of St. James-the-Less church in Philadelphia. In Canada, there are no exact copies of such churches, but there are many examples showing the influence of prototypes such as St. Michael's, Long Stanton. (Phoebe Stanton, The Gothic Revival and American Church Architecture: an Episode in Taste, 1840-56 [Baltimore, John Hopkins Press, 1968], p. 94.)

33 St. Ann Chapel, Westmoreland Street, Fredericton, N.B. Constructed: 1846-47 Architect: Frank Wills Material: stone The arrangement of forms and the orientation of the porch-nave-chancel plan clearly show that St. Ann Chapel was inspired by the small English churches of the 13th century. The handling of proportions bears the mark of the architect, Frank Wills. He gave all the components of his plan a vertical thrust that is out of keeping with the equilateral triangle configuration of small English 13th century churches. The linear treatment of forms is a departure from the rustic character of the medieval prototypes (Canadian Inventory of Historic Building.)

34 Christ Church, Maugerville, N.B. Constructed: 1856 Architect: Frank Wills Material: wood After leaving for the United States around 1846, Wills kept in regular contact with Bishop John Medley. The composition of this church in Maugerville had been attributed to him because the design is very similar to one of those in Wills' book published in 1850 in New York: Ancient English Ecclesiastical Architecture and its Principles Applied to the Wants of the Present Day. A wooden model of this church, probably built by the architect as a guide for the builders, is still in existence today. (Canadian Inventory of Historic Building.)

35 All Saints Anglican Church, Bayswater, N.S. Constructed: ca. 1865 Material: wood Usually the small wooden churches influenced by the Cambridge Camden Society have entrances in the form of a small enclosed porch along one side. With its main entrance located in a central tower on one of the gable walls, the Bayswater church retains a connection with the traditional religious architecture that often favours this type of arrangement. The very simple decorative detail emphasises the linearity inherent in board-and-batten siding. (Canadian Inventory of Historic Building.)

36 All Saint's Church, McKeen's Corner, N.B. Constructed: 1861 Architect: Edward Medley Material: wood Here, Bishop Medley handles the board-and-batten with ease, sometimes using it for decorative purposes, as in the case of the small ornate window on the south façade. Other details, such as the gable fascia, also show a desire to heighten the rigid aspect of the siding. However, the exterior still fails to reveal the typical interior arrangement of the churches complying with the plan of the Cambridge Camden Society. The exterior shows no trace of the chancel, despite the fact that it polarizes the observer's attention in the interior arrangement. (Canadian Inventory of Historic Building.)

37 Church of the Ascension, Apohaqui, N.B. Constructed: 1871-72 Architect: Edward Medley Material: wood This church represents the culmination of research into form on the part of architect Medley. Compared with most small wooden churches in the Maritimes influenced by the Cambridge Camden Society, the Church of the Ascension shows considerable innovation, particularly in the articulation of its masses. While observing the porch-nave-chancel plan recommended by the Society, Medley achieves a harmonious composition of the components of this plan by using a highly enveloping roof combining both the gable and the pavilion. Moreover, the vertical board-and-batten reaches its culminating point in this example in its combination with wide boards expressing the strong points in the structure. (Canadian Inventory of Historic Building.)

38 St. Patrick's Church, 460 Dorchester Blvd. West, Montreal, Que. Constructed: 1843-47 Architects: Pierre Louis Morin and Felix Martin Material: stone The plan of St. Patrick's Church shows an interest in the teachings of the Cambridge Camden Society by giving particular importance to the chancel in the exterior composition. Its semi-circular mass (which is closer to the French tradition than the rectangular chancel) rises to the same height as the nave. Also, the sobriety and firmness of the treatment of the outer walls and limited number of decorative motifs break with a tradition that favoured flourishes equally spaced in a horizontal-vertical grid around the building. The central tower articulation of the west façade was to remain a highly popular approach among later Gothic Revival churches in Quebec. (Inventaire des biens culturels du Québec.)

39 Christ Church Anglican Cathedral, St. Catherine Street West, Montreal, Que. Constructed: 1857-59 Architects: Frank Wills and Thomas S. Scott Material: stone For his Christ Church Cathedral in Montreal, the architect, Frank Wills, drew a great deal of inspiration from the 14th century English churches with cruciform plans. Moreover, the west façade flanked by narrow turrets owes much to the medieval church of St. Mary's in Snettisham, which had already served as a model ten years earlier in the design for Christ Church Cathedral in Fredericton. Wills died just after completing the plans for this building. The young architect Thomas S. Scott picked up where he left off and followed Wills' plan to the letter. (Canadian Inventory of Historic Building.)

40 Anglican Church of the Messiah, rang du Bord de l'eau, Sabrevois, Que. Constructed: ca. 1855 Material: stone This is an example of Cambridge Camden Society principles imported into Quebec. The church was originally built for the congregation of one of the most prosperous Anglican missions in Quebec. The building assumes the typical silhouette of the English rural churches of the Middle Ages, but with the warm tone of native Richelieu Valley stone. The west façade arrangement culminates in a stepped pinnacle. A small porch protrudes from the south wall. However, the exterior does not show the chancel, which, in this type of building, is usually housed under a separate roof behind the nave. (Canadian Inventory of Historic Building.)

41 St. John the Evangelist Church, Oxford Mills, Ont. Constructed: 1869 Material: stone The date of construction shows that this type of Gothic Revival church was still in vogue twenty years after the Cambridge Camden Society had popularized it. Despite variations in the treatment of proportions, these churches can be easily traced back to a common type by the outline of their west tower, with compact buttresses at the base and a stepped pinnacle at the summit. The entrance is often located in a porch on the south wall and the nave is extended to the east by a chancel covered by a separate roof. (Canadian Inventory of Historic Building.)

42 Christ Church, Roches Point, Ont. Constructed: 1861 Builder: Rev. Walter Stennett Material: stone Small churches derived from 13th century British architecture have often been given charming variations. This church was built by a minister retired from an illustrious career as a professor and then administrator of Upper Canada College in Toronto. Rev. Stennett made good use of local field stone and he designed the proportions and details in a way that gave the structure a domestic appearance. (Canadian Inventory of Historic Building.)

43 St. Andrew's by the Lake, Turkey Point, Ont. Constructed: ca. 1860 Material: wood Churches like St. Andrew's by the Lake showed the way to a compromise between the requirements of the Cambridge Camden Society and those of the natural environment, which involved the extensive use of wood. They adhere to the typical plan of small English medieval churches with their entry porch and chancel separate from the nave. The basic material is the vertical board-and-batten made popular by the American theorist Andrew Downing. The basic scheme of the church of St. Andrew's by the Lake was so popular in North America that it could be as easily found in the Maritimes, British Columbia or the United States. (Canadian Inventory of Historic Building.)

44 Holy Trinity Church, Trinity Square, Toronto, Ont. Constructed: 1846 Architect: Henry Bower Lane Material: brick The resemblance between this church and the Presbyterian church on Franklin Street in Baltimore indicates that models may have circulated between the United States and Canada at this time, or at least that common sources of inspiration were used. This church was damaged by fire in 1977. (Public Archives Canada.)

45 Franklin Street Presbyterian Church, Baltimore, U.S.A. Constructed: 1844 Architect: Robert Cary Long Material: brick The designer of this church is representative of a generation of American architects who were aware of the new European developments in the Gothic Revival style. Long had completed his professional apprenticeship with a prolonged stay in Europe. His composition for the Franklin Street Church which was inspired by English prototypes from the Tudor period, reveals his familiarity with specialized publications such as those of Pugin: Specimens of Gothic Architecture and Examples of Gothic Architecture. (Phoebe Stanton, The Gothic Revival and American Church Architecture: An Episode in Taste, 1840-56 [Baltimore, John Hopkins Press, 1968], p. 241.)

46 St. Paul's Presbyterian Church (formerly St. Andrew's Church), 56 James St. South, Hamilton, Ont. Constructed: 1854-57 Architect: William Thomas Material: stone The original design for this church was done for the Anglican parish of Christ Church in Hamilton. Following a disagreement between the architect and his client, Thomas decided to submit his composition to the Presbyterian denomination who were able to appreciate its worth. Although the preponderance of the nave is reminiscent of the churches of the reformation, St. Paul's Church draws from a formal repertoire associated with the churches of the Early Decorated Gothic (13th century). In this respect, the most impressive element is the grace and finesse of the lines of the tower on the main façade. Throughout its history, St. Paul's Church has only undergone minor alterations in keeping with Thomas' composition, such as the extension of the chancel toward the end of the 19th century by the architect Hugh Valiance. (Canadian Inventory of Historic Building.)

47 St. James Anglican Cathedral, Church Street, Toronto, Ont. Constructed: 1849-53 Architect: William Cumberland Material: brick The project for the replacement of the first Anglican cathedral in Toronto, destroyed during the terrible conflagration of 1849, was initially troubled by financial restrictions. Cumberland had to cope with these constraints and produce a compromise between the requirements of the Cambridge Camden Society and those of his client. For the basic material, he chose a yellow brick which was becoming widely used in the city at that time and he vigorously took advantage of all its potential forms. In his basic plan, he observed the rules of the Cambridge Camden Society as closely as possible, but was unable to handle all elements in full compliance with the status of a cathedral. For example, the chancel had to be shortened and upper galleries were also included (these were prescribed by the Cambridge Camden Society because of their theatricality). The cathedral opened its doors in 1853, but did not receive its tower, spire, porches and finials until 1874. (Canadian Inventory of Historic Building.)

48 Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Stanley Mission, on the banks of the Churchill River, Sask. Constructed: 1854-56 Builder: Rev. Robert Hunt Material: wood Rev. Hunt had the same instinctive reaction as many European immigrants in Canada; he wanted to endow his new environment with the architectural ideal with which he had been imbued by his education among the British Anglican clergy of the 1840s. The high priests of the Cambridge Camden Society may have frowned on the use of board-and-batten siding (contrary to the spirit of Gothic Revival) and the presence of lateral aisles (generally restricted to much larger churches), but the transcription of the interior plan in the exterior composition would certainly have pleased them, as would the vertical proportions and extreme simplicity of the architectural decor. (Saskatchewan Government Information Bureau.)

49 St. Peter's Anglican Church, Red Jacket, Sask. Constructed: ca. 1895 Material: stone When the diocese of Qu'Appelle was founded during the last decade of the 19th century, several churches were built, including St. Peter's. The use of varied shades of field stone immediately identifies the Qu'Appelle Valley, one of the rare places in Saskatchewan where local stone is used for building construction. The arrangement of volumes characterized by the small porch protruding from the rectangular nave and the separate chancel at the rear adheres to the plan of the small medieval English churches of the 13th century. As a whole, the composition remains very sober, its only decoration being colour contrasts produced by the arrangement of voussoirs over the bays. (Canadian Inventory of Historic Building.)

50 Holy Trinity Church, New Westminster, B.C. Constructed: 1860 (demolished) Architect: Royal Engineers Material: wood This photograph shows how the construction of Holy Trinity Church coincided with the clearing of a hitherto untouched region. The church can easily be compared with the wooden versions based on the plan of small 13th century churches in rural England that can be seen in Ontario and the Atlantic provinces. The builders used board-and-batten siding, immediately showing the architectural influence of the United States — particularly California — in British Columbia. This building was razed by fire only five years after its completion. (F.A. Peake, The Anglican Church in British Columbia [Vancouver, Mitchell Press, 1959], p. 112.)

51 St. Mary's Church, 121 Columbia Street East, New Westminster, B.C. Constructed: 1865 Architect: J.C. White (of the Royal Engineers) Material: wood Unlike the churches built in British Columbia toward the end of the 19th century according to the open framework technique, St. Mary's is made of logs assembled by mortise-and-tenon joints. It has retained some of its original character, despite alterations in 1921: extension of the nave, addition of a west wing and construction of a new south porch. (H.H. Gowen, Church Work in British Columbia [London, Batsford, 1899], p. 14.)

52 Christ Church, Alert Bay, B.C. Constructed: 1882 Material: wood The design of the Anglican church of Alert Bay would appear to indicate that the little churches built by the Royal Engineers continued to influence British Columbian church architecture until late in the 19th century. Its basic plan, with a south porch, nave and chancel all covered by separate roofs, reflects the teachings of the Cambridge Camden Society. On the other hand, the choice and treatment of details seem to show a creative freedom that is more characteristic of High Victorian Gothic. (Canadian Inventory of Historic Building.)

53 Oakham House, 322 Church Street, Toronto, Ont. Constructed: 1848 Architect: William Thomas Material: brick In this composition, Thomas used the yellow brick that was becoming widespread at that time in Toronto public and private architecture. The two main bodies in this design express the duality of the building's function (home-office) and at the same time add a picturesque potential to the general arrangement. However, it is the figure and refinement of the details that immediately show the mark of the architect. These details include small sculpted heads, probably produced in England by Thomas' brother, which the architect liked to work into some of his compositions. (Photo: G. Kapelos.)

54 Grosvenor Lodge, 1017 Western Road, London, Ont. Constructed: 1853 Architects: Samuel Peters Junior and Thomas Stent Material: brick Samuel Peters, the prosperous founder of London West, had this elegant dwelling built by his nephew, Samuel Peters Jr. Together with his associate Thomas Stent, he created a villa that harks back to the manors of the Tudor era, particularly in its general articulation and the use of decorative corbie-stepped gables. Although it may appear sumptuous when compared with the houses of the new Ontario towns that were expanding rapidly in the middle of the 19th century, Grosvenor Lodge retains the sobriety that is characteristic of many upper middle class house designs in this period. In 1972, the house was taken over by the University of Western Ontario. It now houses a museum and municipal offices. (Canadian Inventory of Historic Building.)

55 The Grove, 111 Main Street, Picton, Ontario Material: rendered masonry Although at the present stage of research we are unable to establish the date of construction and the architect of this house, it can be said that the builder was well informed of developments in the Gothic Revival. At a first glance, it appears to be simply a small house with a central plan and pavilion roof, of which there are many examples in Ontario towns throughout most of the 19th century. However, the choice of decorative elements and their scale and proportions give particular value to this composition. The main entrance is highlighted by a small porch interrupted by elements resembling buttresses. The top of the porch has a triangular suggestion of the gable behind it. In the gable, there is a tiny bay window gracefully framed by a fretwork fascia board. Two narrow chimneys placed on either side of the gable highlight the composition of the centre of the building. (Canadian Inventory of Historic Building.)

56 "A Cottage-Villa in the Rural Gothic Style" (Residence of Wm. J. Rotch, New Bedford, Mass.) Architect: Alexander Jackson Davis Material: brick rendered with cement matrix Since Andrew Downing had no architectural training himself, he often expressed his preferences by turning to the designs of architects whose creations he approved of. Thus, many homes illustrated in The Architecture of Country Houses, like this example, were taken from projects done by the architect Alexander Jackson Davis. (Andrew Downing, The Architecture of Country Houses [New York, Da Capo Press, rev. ed., 1968], Fig. 128.)

57 Claverleigh, Creemore, Ont. Constructed: ca. 1870 Material: wood The composition of this house has a rustic effect and variety of form that brings it into harmony with its natural surroundings, consisting of woods and rolling hills. The main body is split into two distinct masses, connected in the middle by a lower component housing the main entrance. This lively configuration is heightened by a vertical thrust produced by the steep slopes of the roof, the narrow chimneys, the slender proportions of the windows and the board-and-batten effect. The bay window, the small romantic balcony and the side veranda all help to blend the house into the surrounding countryside. (Canadian Inventory of Historic Building.)

58 "A Plain Timber Cottage," Maine, U.S.A. Architect: Gervaise Wheeler Material: wood Downing published this drawing in order to encourage people to use wood and take advantage of its properties. As an alternative to wooden imitations of the Gothic designs proper to masonry buildings, Downing recommended the use of the vertical board-and-batten with its vertical lines that coincide with the spirit of the Gothic Revival and adhere to the principle of structural realism by an exterior expression of the main supporting line of the structural members. Instead of solid rectangular masses, Downing often preferred to break up the main body into several wings in order to produce a more dynamic silhouette. In this case, the use of vertical board-and-batten siding in conjunction with this type of articulation gives the house a likeness of character that is perfectly in keeping with a country house. (Andrew Downing, The Architecture of Country Houses [New York, Da Capo Press, rev. ed. 1968], p. 301.)

59 Rouville-Campbell Manor, 125 chemin des Patriotes, Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Quebec Constructed: first manor; between 1811 and 1841; renovations: between 1853 and 1860 Architects: Hopkins, Lawford and Nelson (renovations) Material: brick In 1844, the Seigneur Jean-Baptiste Hertel de Rouville sold Major Thomas Edmund Campbell his brick manor and outbuildings located in Mont-Saint-Hilaire along the banks of the Richelieu. According to contemporary engravings, it was a modest manor in a classical style at that time. However, Major Campbell, first a soldier and then Secretary to the Governor, Lord Elgin, wanted to have a residence more worthy of his functions. Documentary evidence leads to the conclusion that the new Seigneur engaged the firm of Hopkins, Lawford and Nelson in 1853 to make considerable alterations to the manor. After this work, the manor had apparently doubled its area; it now had a thoroughly Tudor outline and was equipped with magnificent brick stables. (Photo: M. Brosseau.)

60 Trafalgar Lodge, 3021 Trafalgar Avenue, Montreal, Que. Constructed: 1848 Architect: John Howard Material: brick By placing the construction of his home in the hands of British architect John Howard, who was then established in Toronto, Albert Furniss had acquired the services of an architect who was perfectly acquainted with the formal expressions proper to the Gothic Revival. Indeed, Howard was able to take advantage of this commission to explore the picturesque qualities inherent in the Neo-Gothic style. The asymmetrical articulation highlighted by the sharp outline of the chimneys, the frontispiece and the dormers gives the composition a very dynamic quality. His command of the formal Gothic vocabulary can also be seen in details such as the rose at the entrance door, the outline of the trefoil motifs and the fretwork roof edging. (Canadian Inventory of Historic Building.)

61 2 Elgin Street, Tadoussac, Que. Constructed: ca. 1865 Material: wood The freedom of the plan and the use of board-and-batten siding indicate the adherence of this house to the architectural teachings of the theorist Andrew Downing. On the street side, the house seems to be rectangular with a large sharp gable high lighting the main entrance. The pavilion plan appears on the yard side with two wings extending out into a large landscaped garden. (Canadian Inventory of Historic Building.)

62 Main Terminal of the European and North American Railway, Saint John, N.B. Constructed: ca. 1860 (demolished) Material: wood This station is actually a fanciful version of the Gothic Revival fashion that emphasizes verticality. The building is given a light quality by its board-and-batten siding; on the other hand, as in the case of Carpenter's Gothic, the decorative repertoire imitates motifs that are proper to masonry construction (buttresses, heavy finials). Despite these contradictions, the building has a vitality that its successor was unable to equal. (Canadian National.)