St. Mary's Anglican Church, Aspdin, Ontario, 1950.

Description

Creator

Edna Hutcheson, Photographer

Media Type

Image

Item Type

Photographs

Description

St. Mary's Anglican Church, Aspdin, Ontario, 1950.

Notes

This is the oldest stone church in Muskoka, built in 1885 of local stone on a one-acre piece of property donated by Charles William Johnson the village storekeeper, who asked that it be named after his favourite daughter Mary, and that it not include a cemetery. After his death his widow donated another acre of property adjoining the church property for a cemetery. The original church on the property was frame. The opening service of the stone church took place in 1886 attended by 74 communicants. William Crompton, who came from Manchester, England about 1873, was the first priest and had been instrumental in raising over $6000 in England for the church construction. Through his efforts a meeting hall was built beside the church named Clifton Hall after its benefactress, Lady Clifton, who lived near Manchester in England. It included a stage and a library.
At one time the church had a congregation exceeding 250 people but over time the numbers dwindled. At one time it was part of the mission of the Cowley Fathers of Bracebridge. In 1977 it became part of the North Muskoka Pioneer Parish and has been lovingly restored.
For more information see: Huntsville More Pictures From the Past, A Committee of Heritage Huntsville, c1998 and Chronicles of Stisted Township by Marjorie Demaine, 1976.

Date of Original

1950

Date Of Event

1950

Subject(s)