Description of Historic Place

Emmanuel United Church was built c. 1878 in the Gothic Revival style. The building is constructed of wood with brickwork at the base and is set close to the road on a small rise at the north side of the highway that runs east-west through Granville Ferry, Nova Scotia. Both the building and the property are included in the municipal heritage designation.

Heritage Value

The Emmanuel United Church, built c. 1878 by John A. Brown, contractor, under the guidance of Rev. J. M. Pike, minister, has a long history of adaptive reuse.

Originally valued as a Methodist Meeting Place, dedicated December 14, 1879 with the laying of a cornerstone during the pastorate of Rev. W. H. Heartz, it remained as such until 1925 when it took on new purpose as a United Church of Canada place of worship. In 1985 the church was deconsecrated and sold. Transformed at first into the Landmark Designs craft centre and then a dance studio, plans were eventually made to turn the edifice into a private dwelling.

This former church building is an impressive example of the Gothic Revival style, whose hallmark is balance and symmetry. The structure has a steep-pitched front-gable roof, pointed gothic windows, decorative dentil mouldings and corner boards. The double central doorway gives the impression of grand spiritual offerings inside. A belt course at the second storey level and shaped gables on the tower add grace and definition to the building. The immense offset tower and spire with paired arched windows form an impressive physical and picturesque streetscape presence.

The heritage value of this important structure is recognizable in the grandeur of its massing and its design. The church’s location in what was once a vibrant self-sustaining community is a testament to the cultural value of this historic building evident in its continuous use as a place of worship for over a century.

Source: Heritage Property File no. OIBNS0277, Municipality of the County of Annapolis, 752 St. George Street, Annapolis Royal, N. S., B0S 1A0

Character-Defining Elements

Character-defining elements of Emmanuel United Church that are associated with its Gothic Revival style include:

-wood and brickwork construction;
-steep-pitched front-gable roof;
-pointed gothic windows;
-decorative dentil mouldings and corner boards;
-double central doorway;
-offset tower and spire with paired arched windows;
-shaped gables on the tower.