Description of Historic Place

Opened in 1794, the Church of England Cemetery is the resting place for many of St. Andrews’ earliest settlers and consists of half a town block. It is located at the head of King Street and bounded by Carleton Street to the south and by Prince of Wales Street to the north.

Heritage Value

The Church of England Cemetery is designated a Local Historic Place for its association with St. Andrews’ earliest British settlers and for being a contributing element to the town’s rich heritage.

The Church of England Cemetery is recognized for its association with the United Empire Loyalists and other early settlers. Initially, this was strictly the second Anglican cemetery in the town. It is presumed that the bodies from the initial cemetery were removed to this cemetery when it opened in 1794, as the earliest stone is dated 1788. It is believed that this cemetery was used for 70 years before the rural cemetery was formed in 1864. The cemetery is surrounded by an iron fence.

A plaque was placed upon the fence in 1983 commemorating the bicentennial of the landing of the loyalists, and reads: “To The Glory of God and In Memory of the Loyalists and Early Settlers of This Community Who Are Buried Here May They Rest In Peace.”

The Church of England Cemetery is also recognized for being a contributing element to the town’s rich heritage, a reflection of the dedication of St. Andrews past and present inhabitants in preserving the architectural and historical merits of the town. The private and public buildings, as well as the burying grounds, have been sympathetically maintained.

Source: Charlotte County Archives, Old Gaol - St. Andrews Historic Places File, "Church of England Cemetery"

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of the Church of England Cemetery include:
- headstones dating back more than 200 years;
- groomed and well maintained grounds consisting of a half town block;
- many burials with a large proportion of readable headstones;
- iron fencing intermingled by stone pillars and ornate iron gates surrounding the entire grounds;
- iron gates surrounding certain lots within the cemetery;
- scattering of trees throughout the cemetery;
- 1983 Loyalist commemorative plaque.