St. Brigid's Church, Prince Edward Island
46°41′33.17″N 64°0′43.24″W / 46.6925472°N 64.0120111°W
| St. Brigid's Roman Catholic Church | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| Town or city | Foxley River, Prince Edward Island |
| Country | Canada |
| Construction started | 1868 |
| Completed | 1873 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | John McLellan |
St. Brigid's Church is a Roman Catholic church in Foxley River, PEI, Canada. It is part of the Roman Catholic diocese of Charlottetown
History
Prior to 1870, residents of Lot 11 traveled to St. Anthony parish, Cascumpeque, a journey that involved a ferry crossing and nine miles of overland travel, or in winter, a horse and sleigh ride across the ice . In 1868, under the guidance of their first priest Rev. James Aeneas McDonald (1820- ?),[1] the Catholic settlers of Lot 11 began constructed their own church. It was completed in 1873, although by Christmas Eve 1870, construction was far enough advanced that midnight mass was celebrated on a temporary altar.
[2]
The church was named due to the predominantly Irish pioneer settlement of the area. St. Brigid was a 5th-Century Irish saint.
In 1914 a sacristy was added to the church.
In 1931 the spire was struck by lightning and during repairs, a new copper cross was installed[2]
Since 1982, there has been no resident priest. Services are conducted by Fr. Danny Wilson,[3] Pastor of St. Anthony's, Bloomfield, PEI.
In 2003 the church was officially recognized as a Registered Historic Place under the Heritage Places Protection Act of Prince Edward Island.
[4]
[5]
Since 1870, the church has held an annual summer picnic.
Architecture
The architect was John McLellan, who also designed St. Joachim's Roman Catholic church at Vernon River, PEI and St. Joseph's convent in Charlottetown, PEI
.[6] The builder was Jeremiah Dalton. The church features Gothic Revival architecture, with a central tower topped by an elaborate pointed spire crowned with a cross. The spire’s roof is adorned with decorative, high, narrow dormers on each of its four sides. Extensive renovations were carried out in 1913–14, when a side vestry was added.
The church measures sixty feet in length by thirty feet in width. The walls are 22 feet high. The interior is entirely paneled in wood. Two stained glass windows decorate the altar, one depicting St. Brigid and one depicting St. Patrick.
-
Aerial view -
Choir loft -
Altar -
Altar detail
Notes
- ^ "Baptismal Record, James Aeneas McDonald". Retrieved 21 July 2012.
- ^ a b Morrison, J. Clinton Jr. (1984). Along The North Shore: a Social History of Township 11, P.E.I., 1765-1982. Morrison. p. 188. ISBN 0-9691824-0-6.
- ^ "Fr. Danny Wilson". Retrieved 21 July 2012.
- ^ Historical Registration Documentation: Located in the Culture and Heritage Division, Department of Community and Cultural Affairs, Charlottetown, PE C1A 7N8 File #: 4310-20/S9
- ^ "Heritage Places Protection Act" (PDF). Retrieved 21 July 2012.
- ^ Smith, H. M. Scott (2011). The Historic Architecture of Prince Edward Island. SSP Publications. p. 115. ISBN 978-0-9868733-0-0.
External links
"List of Island Churches". Retrieved 21 July 2012.
"St. Brigid's Website". Retrieved 21 July 2012.
"Diocese of Charlottetown website". Retrieved 21 July 2012.