Gavelton Meeting House

The Gavelton Meeting House in Yarmouth County, is Nova Scotia’s only surviving New England style meeting house. It is valued for being the only such example in the county, and one of the few remaining in Nova Scotia; for its association with the original Loyalist settlers; and for its long history as a place of worship in the community of Gavelton.

The community of Gavelton was settled by Loyalists shortly after 1784. One of the most prominent families of that area, originally known as “Tusket Lakes,” was the Gavel family, and a portion of Tusket Lakes eventually became known as Gavelton. The original settler of this name was John Gavel, and it was his son, John Gavel 2nd, also known as “Deacon John Gavel,” who was the leader in the construction and consequent operation of this meeting house. Work began on the structure in 1840 and the exterior of the building had already been finished by 29 March 1842 when he deeded the property on which it was built to himself and to John Gavel 3rd, Jacob Gavel, Andrew Gavel, Titus Hurlburt, Simon Kavanah, James King and William H. Gavel. Built on the principal of many Proprietor’s Meeting Houses (more closely associated with the Congregationalists), the deed states that the meeting house was owned in 30 shares, among the previously named men. The burial ground holds many of the graves of these early settlers as well as several fine examples of rare purple slate gravestones located on the eastern end of the building. The deed however also makes it clear that from the beginning this was a “Baptist Meeting House.”

As an organized church body this church was always a Calvinist or Regular Baptist Church (as opposed to Free Baptist, which was more common in Argyle Municipality). In 1905-06 this became a United Baptist church due to the formation of the United Baptist Convention of the Maritime Provinces which included both Free and Regular Baptist congregations. It has been some fifteen years or more since any organized church has worshipped in this building, although there are still Trustees for the building, and it is reasonably well maintained.

The Gavelton Meeting House is a two-and-a-half storey building of wood construction with a medium pitched gable roof, built in the style of the old New England meeting houses. Greek Revival influence can be seen in the decorative elements and the fact that it is built on the front gable plan. For many years the rear gable end had no windows, but during a 1980s restoration most of the original windows were reinstated.

Information provided by Historic Places Canada.