St. Paul's Presbyterian Church (Hamilton, Ontario) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Paul's Presbyterian Church |
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| 43°15′18″N 79°52′08″W / 43.255°N 79.869°W | |
| Location | Hamilton, Ontario |
| Country | Canada |
| Denomination | Presbyterian Church in Canada |
| Churchmanship | Reformed; see Calvinism |
| Website | http://stpaulshamilton.ca |
| History | |
| Founded | 1830 |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | National Historical Site of Canada |
| Designated | 1990 |
| Architect(s) | William Thomas |
| Style | Decorated Neo-Gothic |
| Completed | 1857 |
| Administration | |
| Presbytery | Presbytery of Hamilton |
St Paul's Presbyterian Church, Hamilton is a historic church located in the heart of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It belongs to the Presbyterian Church in Canada. The church building is very special because it was designed by a famous architect named William Thomas. It is recognized as a National Historic Site in Canada, which means it's an important part of Canada's history.
Contents
History of St Paul's Church
The church started in 1830 when Scottish immigrants first settled in Hamilton. It was originally called St. Andrew's. Later, in 1873, its name was changed to St. Paul's. The main church building was constructed between 1854 and 1857. This means it took about four years to build! In 1909, a part of the church called the choir was made bigger. Because of its importance, the building was officially named a National Historic Site in 1990.
Exploring the Church Building
The St Paul's Church building was designed by William Thomas (architect). He used a style called English Gothic Revival, which looks like old medieval churches. The outside of the church is made of grey limestone. Most of this stone came from quarries right in Hamilton. Many of the windows have beautiful stone patterns called Gothic tracery. Inside, the main worship area is made of dark wood. There is also a special area called a chancel with detailed sculptures. The church property also has a small cemetery.
The Tall Stone Steeple
One of the most amazing parts of St Paul's Church is its tall steeple. It is made completely of stone and reaches 180 feet into the sky! The steeple has a square base that goes up 100 feet. Then, it changes into an eight-sided spire. This spire has small windows called lucarnes on some of its sides. The tower and spire show off designs from the medieval period. These include double arched openings for the bells. The corners of the tower have strong supports called buttresses. There are also small, delicate towers at each corner. These are decorated with stone carvings called crockets and a finial at the very top. This steeple is the largest one made entirely of stone in all of Canada!
The Church Bells
Inside the steeple are eleven bells that chime beautiful music. Together, these bells weigh a lot, about 9,873 pounds (4,478 kilograms)! The smallest bell weighs about 300 pounds (136 kilograms), and the largest one is around 2,100 pounds (953 kilograms). The bells were first used on November 11, 1906. Today, they still work perfectly. You can hear them ring every Sunday morning and on special occasions.
The Celtic Cross Memorial
In the church yard, on the south-east side, there is a large Celtic cross. This cross is called the Cross of Sacrifice. It was put there in 1921 to remember those who served in wars. The cross was carved in Scotland. It looks similar to very old crosses found on an island called Iona. The arms of the cross are cut short, and the main column gets narrower towards the top. A circle, which looks like a crown or wreath, goes around the arms of the cross.
Church Services and Events
St Paul's Presbyterian Church holds worship services every Sunday morning. They also have special services for events like weddings. The church takes part in a yearly event called "Doors Open Hamilton." This is a city-wide weekend event in the autumn. It allows people to take tours of many historical buildings in Hamilton, including St Paul's Church.
See also
