St. Paul's Presbyterian Church (Hamilton, Ontario) facts for kids
St Paul's Presbyterian Church in Hamilton is a special church building. It's located right in the middle of Hamilton, Ontario. This church is a place where people who are part of the Presbyterian Church in Canada meet. A famous architect named William Thomas designed the building. Because of its importance, it's recognized as a National Historic Site in Canada. The province of Ontario also calls it a heritage site, which means it's a protected historical place.
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 |
Contents
History of St Paul's Church
The church community was started by people who moved from Scotland in 1830. It was first called St. Andrew's. In 1873, its name was changed to St. Paul's. The church building itself took four years to build, from 1854 to 1857. Later, in 1909, the choir area at the west end was made bigger. This addition was designed by Hugh Vallance. The building became a National Historic Site in 1990.
What Does the Church Building Look Like?
The church building was designed by William Thomas (architect). He used a style called English Gothic revival. This style was popular for churches and other buildings. The outside of the church is made of grey limestone. Most of this stone came from local quarries in Hamilton. A stonemason named George Worthington worked with the stone. Many of the windows have special Gothic designs. The main worship area inside is made of dark wood. There is also a chancel, which is the area around the altar. It has beautiful sculptures of plants. The church also has a small cemetery in its yard.
A historian who studies buildings, Marion MacRae, said the church is "the best Decorated Gothic Revival Church in Ontario." This means it's a great example of this type of architecture.
The Tall Steeple
The church has one tall steeple that is made entirely of stone. It reaches a height of 180 feet, which is very tall! The lower part of the tower is 100 feet high. Above that, it changes into an eight-sided spire. This spire has small windows called lucarnes on some of its sides. The tower and spire show details from medieval times. These details are from the Middle Pointed or Decorated period of English Gothic style. This was from the late 1200s to the early 1300s.
The tower has two pointed openings on each side for the bells. The corners of the tower are made stronger with supports called buttresses. There are also narrow turrets at each corner. These turrets have their own small spires. They are decorated with crockets and a finial at the very top. This steeple is the largest all-stone steeple in Canada.
The Church Bells
The church has eleven bells that make chimes. Together, they weigh about 9,873 pounds (4,478 kilograms). The smallest bell weighs about 300 pounds (136 kilograms). The largest bell weighs about 2,100 pounds (953 kilograms). The bells were first used on November 11, 1906. They are still used today! You can hear them play every Sunday morning and on special occasions.
The Celtic Cross Memorial
On the south-east side of the church yard, there is a large Celtic cross. It is called the Cross of Sacrifice. This cross was put there in 1921 as a memorial for war. It was carved in Scotland. It looks similar to very old crosses found in Iona. The arms of the cross are cut short. The main column gets thinner from the bottom to the top. A circle goes around the arms, which looks like a crown or a wreath.
What Happens at St Paul's Church?
The church holds worship services every Sunday morning. They also have services for other special events, like weddings. St Paul's Church takes part in an event called "Doors Open." This is a city-wide event in the autumn. During "Doors Open," people can take tours of historical buildings in Hamilton.
See Also
