Description of Historic Place

This Gothic Revival church is located prominently on Kent Square in Georgetown. It features wood shingle cladding, a segmented square tower with side entrance, and a gable roof. The decorative elements of the building include its pointed arch windows with tracery; the faux buttresses at the back of the building; and the crenellated (battlemented) design at the top of the tower with a finial in each corner. The finials are decorated with crockets.

Heritage Value

The church is valued for its Gothic Revival architectural elements and for its contribution to the history and streetscape of Georgetown.

Georgetown, as the capital of Kings County, was mapped out by Charles Morris in 1768 with a formally designed streetscape common to many British colonial towns. In the centre of the grid is a large town square, Kent Square, which had land set aside specifically for the school, courthouse, jail, and the established Church of England.

It would not be until 1842 that the current Anglican Church was completed on the southeast corner of Kent Square. Reverend Charles Lloyd was in charge of the mission in Georgetown and supervised the construction. The church appeared as a navigational aid on a old sailing chart in 1839 when it was under construction.

The first resident rector was Rev. Frederick Downes Panter who served from 1841 to 1845. The Parish Register dates from January 9, 1842. In 1860, during the service of Rev. Robert T. Roach, the roof was extended fifteen feet to allow for a vaulted ceiling. The current Perpendicular Gothic windows were also installed at this time.

With the decline in shipbuilding, in the late 19th century, Georgetown experienced a period of decline. Holy Trinity church endured this as well, losing its full time rector and being closed for periods of the year.

Rev. Robert Tuck became the resident rector in 1980 and began a restoration of the building. A decade later, the church was well maintained and had an active presence in the community. In the summer, it hosted mediaeval brass rubbing workshops, using English mediaeval plates whose images could be rubbed onto paper. This was popular with tourists to the area.

In recent years, the church has not held regular services. However, the Town of Georgetown has purchased the building and plans to maintain it as an important link to the early history of the town.

Source: Culture and Heritage Division, PEI Department of Communities, Cultural Affairs and Labour, Charlottetown, PE C1A 7N8
File #: 4310-20/TR31

Character-Defining Elements

The heritage value of the church is shown in the following character-defining elements:

- the single storey massing and wood frame construction
- the gable metal roof with a cross on the peak of the east elevation
- the brick chimney
- the square tower in three segments with side entrance
- the crenellation at the top of the tower with four corner finials
- the crockets on each of the finials
- the Perpendicular style Gothic windows with tracery
- the large Gothic window with tracery at the back of the church behind the altar
- the faux buttresses at the back corners of the building
- the remaining stained glass windows