About Historic St. Mary’s
Located in rolling idyllic hills overlooking Malpeque Bay, Historic St. Mary’s was recognized as a Registered Historic Place in 2010 due to its heritage value in the area. The stunning French-Gothic style building offers a unique addition to the surrounding landscape, unlike anything else in the area. The building was designed by prolific PEI architect William Critchlow Harris, and built under the instruction of Nathan MacFarlane between 1900 and 1902.
Harris was commissioned to design the church by Rev. Monsignor D. J Gillis after its predecessor burnt to the ground following a lightning strike in 1896. The entire community forged together to ensure the success of the new building. A local sawmill processed the wood for free, and a farmer who donated the largest tree in the area to the effort – this same tree now holds up the iconic spire that our concert series is named for.
The resulting structure is a testament to Harris’ skills as an architect. An amateur musician himself, Harris stated that his inspiration for the main hall of St. Mary’s came from the inside of a violin which resonates music beautifully. The Harris trademark, a rib-vaulted ceiling, enhances the quality of sound and achieves this with the use of fir, pine, spruce, maple, and birch throughout the building.
Other distinctive features of Harris’ French-Gothic style include:
- The circular corner tower spire, featuring 12 niches for the apostles
- Unified nave and chancel with transepts
- Pointed arch and multi-paned Gothic windows
- Gable roofline
- Alternating wooden shingle patterns
The building was decommissioned by the Roman Catholic Diocese in 2009 and was subsequently purchased by Under the Spire. Our organization continues to undertake major renovations to the building to restore many architectural and structural features.
Today, Historic St Mary’s remains the architectural and acoustical treasure that William Harris envisioned; the perfect setting for voice and instruments to celebrate wonderful music.
You can read more about Historic St. Mary’s here!
Did you know?
Back when Historic St. Mary’s was decommissioned, a group of local residents formed the Friend’s of St. Mary’s to support restoration and upkeep to this historic structure.
Want to find out more? Click on this link for a full history.