Gaspereau United Baptist Church
Title
Gaspereau United Baptist Church
Church Name
Gaspereau United Baptist Church
Church Association
Eastern Valley Association
Province
Nova Scotia
County
Kings County
Address
2828 Greenfield Rd, Gaspereau, NS
Status
Active
Date
Originally built 1821; 1857; Current Building 1912
Historical Information
The original Baptist church that served the Gaspereau region was constructed in 1821. This building was a meetinghouse, often characterized by its rather plain style, without a steeple and with either one or two entrances on the gable end. Meeting houses often had some Gothic Revival architectural embellishments, such as curved gothic windows. Meeting houses from this era often had high pews, with a tall pulpit set at the front of the church, high off the floor level. If the building had two doors on the gable end, it often meant that the men were to use one and the women the other, meaning that there was a segregation between the sexes in church. In 1853 this building was moved and used as a house.
This building was replaced by a subsequent structure in 1857/58, when sixty members under the leadership of Reverend Benjamin Vaughan built a new church (See first photo). This building was in the Gothic Revival style, with a three-bay façade on the gable end, with the steeple set inside in the main body of the church. This building had many unique features, such as the brow piece over the front entrance, and large gothic window set directly above it. Along each side of the building there are four larger gothic windows, which do not appear to be spaced evenly along the façade. The reasoning for this uneven spacing is unknown; perhaps it demonstrates a lack of communication or skill amongst the builders or the lack of time they had to erect the building. The windows are set back, away from the front façade, suggesting that there are interior rooms on each side of the front entranceway. At the back there appears to be a vestry and stables for parishioners’ horses to be tied up, both common with Baptist church properties in the early to mid-nineteenth century. The bell tower has openings in the shape of gothic windows on each side, and above it has a crown, marked with a spire on all four corners. Given the amount of time between the construction of the church in 1821, and this structure, it is likely that some of the same builders constructed both buildings. A unique feature of this building is that it had seats instead of pews, with hooks on the underside on which to hang a man’s hat. The church was rebuilt in 1878 and thoroughly renovated in 1894. In 1911 during a church service the floor collapsed, sending one person crashing through to the basement below.
In 1912, the third church to house this congregation was built, it was dedicated on October 12th, 1912. A. W. Allen and Sons completed the millwork. It is interesting to note
in Billtown, Canard, Canning, and Gaspereau were all built using the same building plans and Allen and Sons.
This building is asymmetrical in design, and in classical in terms of stylistic choices. This church demonstrates a movement during this era when Baptist churches were moving away from being symmetrical with the steeple centrally placed on the gable end, to a design where the steeple was positioned on the corner of the building. Some of the most eye-catching features of this building are: the tall, slender, rounded stained-glass windows that can be found on the gable ends, and appear to reach from the center of the building into the foundation, making the structure appear taller than it is; and the corner positioning of the steeple, with its open-cage belfry that is classical in design with its curved arches and three pilasters on all four sides. These classical design choices were common around the turn of the twentieth century and are also shown in the 45-degre triangles found in the roof trusses, and the classical columns in the entranceways. At the rear of the building there appears to be office space in a second storey loft, with recreational space and a kitchen below, on the main level. The chair seating in the main sanctuary appears to be the same seating that was in the predecessor church.
Information provided by the church and Churches of Kings County Nova Scotia
This building was replaced by a subsequent structure in 1857/58, when sixty members under the leadership of Reverend Benjamin Vaughan built a new church (See first photo). This building was in the Gothic Revival style, with a three-bay façade on the gable end, with the steeple set inside in the main body of the church. This building had many unique features, such as the brow piece over the front entrance, and large gothic window set directly above it. Along each side of the building there are four larger gothic windows, which do not appear to be spaced evenly along the façade. The reasoning for this uneven spacing is unknown; perhaps it demonstrates a lack of communication or skill amongst the builders or the lack of time they had to erect the building. The windows are set back, away from the front façade, suggesting that there are interior rooms on each side of the front entranceway. At the back there appears to be a vestry and stables for parishioners’ horses to be tied up, both common with Baptist church properties in the early to mid-nineteenth century. The bell tower has openings in the shape of gothic windows on each side, and above it has a crown, marked with a spire on all four corners. Given the amount of time between the construction of the church in 1821, and this structure, it is likely that some of the same builders constructed both buildings. A unique feature of this building is that it had seats instead of pews, with hooks on the underside on which to hang a man’s hat. The church was rebuilt in 1878 and thoroughly renovated in 1894. In 1911 during a church service the floor collapsed, sending one person crashing through to the basement below.
In 1912, the third church to house this congregation was built, it was dedicated on October 12th, 1912. A. W. Allen and Sons completed the millwork. It is interesting to note
in Billtown, Canard, Canning, and Gaspereau were all built using the same building plans and Allen and Sons.
This building is asymmetrical in design, and in classical in terms of stylistic choices. This church demonstrates a movement during this era when Baptist churches were moving away from being symmetrical with the steeple centrally placed on the gable end, to a design where the steeple was positioned on the corner of the building. Some of the most eye-catching features of this building are: the tall, slender, rounded stained-glass windows that can be found on the gable ends, and appear to reach from the center of the building into the foundation, making the structure appear taller than it is; and the corner positioning of the steeple, with its open-cage belfry that is classical in design with its curved arches and three pilasters on all four sides. These classical design choices were common around the turn of the twentieth century and are also shown in the 45-degre triangles found in the roof trusses, and the classical columns in the entranceways. At the rear of the building there appears to be office space in a second storey loft, with recreational space and a kitchen below, on the main level. The chair seating in the main sanctuary appears to be the same seating that was in the predecessor church.
Information provided by the church and Churches of Kings County Nova Scotia
Files
Collection
Citation
“Gaspereau United Baptist Church,” Atlantic Baptist Built Heritage Project , accessed May 14, 2024, https://atlanticbaptistheritage.omeka.net/items/show/303.