| St Andrew's Episcopal Church | The foundation-stone of a new Episcopal chapel was laid at Fort William, N.B., on Friday. The architect is Mr. Ross, of Inverness, and the anticipated cost of the building is £.5,000. [Building News 19 September 1879 p356]
FORT WILLIAM - St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, Fort William, was consecrated last week. The building is from the design of Mr. Ross, architect, Inverness, and is in the Early Decorated style, and consists of a nave, a chancel, and tower and spire, with a vestry at the west angle and a porch at the north-west angle. The tower, when complete, will be 100 feet high. Its base forms the organ-chamber. The material of which the church is built is red granite, with freestone dressings. The choir-benches are of oak, the carving having been executed by Mr. Harry Hems, of Exeter. The altar is ten feet wide, the front divided into three compartments by arches with columns. In the centre compartment is the St. Andrew Cross, enriched in alabaster, and in the south is a pelican feeding her young. The litany-desk and prayer-desk are carved in oak by Mr. Hems. The internal walls are relieved by bands of white freestone. The windows are filed with stained glass, by Messrs Clayton and Bell, of London. The cost has been about £10,000. [Building News 17 September 1880 p341]
Western Doors - G B Davy "commissioned Mr Hems to carve sculptured doors for the western entrance of St. Andrew's church. These doors, designed by Mr. A. Ross, are of the same class as Ghiberti's celebrated gates at Florence, and in a series of panels will illustrate our Lord as the Door and the Good Shepherd." [Building News 23 December 1881 p866]
Harry Hems of Exeter, perhaps the most outstanding ecclesiastical wood carver of the period, was also reponsible for other carvings at the church - see listing notice
Font reredos and pulpit by D & A Davidson. |