Weymouth United Baptist Church, Riverside
Title
Weymouth United Baptist Church, Riverside
Church Name
Weymouth United Baptist Church, Riverside
Church Association
Annapolis- Digby
Province
Nova Scotia
County
Digby
Address
242 Fort Point Road, Weymouth, N.S.
Status
Active
Date
Constructed 1873
Historical Information
In the early 1790's, Rev. Joseph Dimock traveled and preached throughout the Weymouth area. Rev Dimock eventually passed on his work to Enoch Towner who organized a Baptist church at Sissiboo, which is known today as Weymouth church. According to Allen Gibson’s “Churches by the Sea”, the church at Sissiboo held a meeting in 1843 which resulted in a reorganization of the church. Many members were dismissed to form local congregations at New Tusket, St. Mary’s Bay, and Digby Joggins. The present house of worship was built in 1873, resulting in the older structure being torn down.
The first congregation and structure on this site was formed in 1799 when it was then known as the Weymouth Baptist Church. It is presumed that the first church on this site burned or was too small from the growth of the congregation as the current church was built in 1827.
Close examination reveals a rubble stone foundation under the bell tower, while the rest of the building is on concrete, probably replacing the stone foundation, sometime prior to the 1960s.
Still clad in its original wood shiplap siding, the building has all rectangular openings with heavy wood lintels. The corners all have wide board trim with double capitals under returned eaves. The front entrance is treated similarly, with small pilasters each side, each with a small capital. Above is a small flat pediment, slightly heavier than the lintels over the windows and belfry vents.
The bell tower, set about half its depth into the nave, serves as the entrance and has vents all around. It has no spire whatsoever. It's very unlikely to have been built "sans spire", meaning that it has lost the spire, whether through weather or microbial action (it rotted and either fell down or was taken down). Losing its spire to a gale is a common phenomenon in the Maritimes.
The first congregation and structure on this site was formed in 1799 when it was then known as the Weymouth Baptist Church. It is presumed that the first church on this site burned or was too small from the growth of the congregation as the current church was built in 1827.
Close examination reveals a rubble stone foundation under the bell tower, while the rest of the building is on concrete, probably replacing the stone foundation, sometime prior to the 1960s.
Still clad in its original wood shiplap siding, the building has all rectangular openings with heavy wood lintels. The corners all have wide board trim with double capitals under returned eaves. The front entrance is treated similarly, with small pilasters each side, each with a small capital. Above is a small flat pediment, slightly heavier than the lintels over the windows and belfry vents.
The bell tower, set about half its depth into the nave, serves as the entrance and has vents all around. It has no spire whatsoever. It's very unlikely to have been built "sans spire", meaning that it has lost the spire, whether through weather or microbial action (it rotted and either fell down or was taken down). Losing its spire to a gale is a common phenomenon in the Maritimes.
Files
Collection
Citation
“Weymouth United Baptist Church, Riverside,” Atlantic Baptist Built Heritage Project , accessed October 4, 2024, https://atlanticbaptistheritage.omeka.net/items/show/72.