Description of Historic Place

St. George’s Anglican Church is a wooden building constructed in the Gothic Revival style with Carpenter Gothic influences located at 432 King Avenue in downtown Bathurst. The designation includes the adjoining St. George's Hall.

Heritage Value

The heritage value of St. George’s Anglican Church as a local historic place resides in its architectural value. Built between 1864 and 1873, St. George’s Anglican Church is one example of the more than one hundred Gothic Revival churches built under John Medley (1804-1892), the first Anglican bishop of New Brunswick. During his 47-year episcopate, John Medley promoted, through the construction of Anglican churches, a return to the architectural principles of the medieval Gothic churches built in England during the Middle Ages. The Gothic Revival architecture of St. George’s Anglican Church is demonstrated in the Carpenter’s Gothic style of its wooden structure.

The church also has religious and cultural heritage value. St. George’s Anglican Church has been a place of worship for the Bathurst congregation since the early 19th century. The first St. George’s Anglican Church was built circa 1825 and consecrated as a place of worship in 1836. The current church, built between 1864 and 1873, was consecrated in 1883 by Bishop John Medley. In 1934, a fire destroyed the adjoining St. George’s Hall, damaging the church building as well. Thanks to the support of the congregation and many organizations, the church was repaired, and a new hall was added, with rooms used for numerous parish and community activities. In 1959 and 1960, the interior of the church was completely renovated. In 1961, an extension was added to St. George’s Hall to provide better facilities for the various parish organizations.

Source: Bathurst Heritage Trust Commission Inc.

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of the original portion of St. George’s Anglican Church in Bathurst include:
- gable roof;
- exterior shape of the nave;
- wood siding;
- trefoil windows;
- stained-glass windows;
- square bell tower and its pyramidal roof;
- main entrance in the base of the bell tower;
- interior wood trim;
- visible trusses;
- coffered ceilings;
- numerous trefoil and ogival arches;
- sanctuary.

The character-defining elements relating to St. George’s Hall include:
- continued use for religious and community events.