Description of Historic Place

The Kermaria Church is a Municipal Heritage Property on four hectares of land located in the Rural Municipality of Lake Lenore, about 20 kilometres east of the Town of St. Brieux. The property features a wood-frame church, cemetery and surrounding grounds.

Heritage Value

The Kermaria Church is valued for its association with the practice of Catholicism in the Lac Vert district. Settlement in the district began in 1906 with the majority of homesteaders being either French or British Roman Catholics. Needing a place to worship, the settlers built the church in 1914 using timber harvested from the immediate area. The original foundation consisted of stones gathered from newly-broken farmland surrounding the church.

The heritage significance of the site also lies in the church’s architecture, which demonstrates a Gothic Revival influence. The steep gable roof, bell tower with louvered windows, rows of arched windows and vaulted ceiling are all typical elements of this style. The building remains a landmark in the district.

Source:

Rural Municipality of Lake Lenore No. 399 Bylaw No. 1-92.

Character-Defining Elements

The heritage value of Kermaria Church resides in the following character-defining elements:
-those elements reflecting the church’s association with the community, such as its size and orientation on its original lot;
-those elements associated with its Gothic Revival architecture, such as the wood-shingled bell tower and columns that flank the front entrance, pointed-arch windows and rose window, vaulted ceiling, elevated chancel, nave and steep gable roof.