Description of Historic Place

The Thingavalla Church and Cemetery is a Municipal Heritage property located approximately seven kilometres northeast of the Town of Churchbridge in the Rural Municipality of Churchbridge No. 211. The property features a wood-frame church built in 1910 and a cemetery dating from 1887.

Heritage Value

The heritage value of the Thingavalla Church and Cemetery lies in its association with the religious history of the area. The Icelandic settlement of Thingvalla was established in 1885. In 1887, a cemetery site was needed and Narfi Halldorsson donated one acre of his homestead. In 1910, a wood-frame church was built on the site. Over the years, the Thingavalla Church has served the Icelandic community by hosting church services, weddings, funerals, and meetings. The small cemetery surrounding the church is the final resting place for over a hundred community members and serves as a symbol of the connection between the original pioneers and the area’s current residents.

The heritage value of the property also lies in its representation of early-twentieth century vernacular construction. The property features a rectangular form with one open room, and a gable roof. The interior features many wood features, including the doors, window frames, walls and flooring. Also of note are the carved chancel rails at the front of the altar and the pulpit.

Source:

The Rural Municipality of Churchbridge No. 211 Bylaw No. 2005 - 10.

Character-Defining Elements

The heritage value of the Thingvalla Church and Cemetery resides in the following character-defining elements:
-those elements of the property that speak to its position as a long standing place of worship, including its position on its original location and tombstones in the cemetery;
-those elements of the property that reflect its vernacular construction, including its regular massing, gable roof, wood window frames, interior walls, floors, chancel rail, and pulpit.