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Church of Our Lord

626 Blanshard Street, Victoria, British Columbia, V8W, Canada
Formally Recognized: 1979/06/28

OTHER NAME(S)
Church of Our Lord
Cridge Memorial Hall

LINKS AND DOCUMENTS

Church of Our Lord web site

CONSTRUCTION DATE(S)
1876/01/01

LISTED ON THE CANADIAN REGISTER: 2004/08/17

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

DESCRIPTION OF HISTORIC PLACE

The Church of Our Lord is a Carpenter Gothic style wooden

church with a separate annex called the Cridge Memorial
Hall, located on the corner of Humbolt and Blanshard
Streets.

HERITAGE VALUE

The Church of Our Lord is a testament to the founding of

the Reformed Episcopal Church in Canada, one of the
pioneering religious denominations in the City of Victoria. It
is notable that this church was founded by Reverend
Edward Cridge, the first Bishop of the Reformed Episcopal
Church in Canada and an instrumental figure in the city's
religious growth since 1855. Established in 1874 under the
auspices of the Church Missionary Society of England, and
connected to the Reformed Episcopal Church of the United
States, the presence of the Reformed Episcopal Church on
the Canadian west coast indicates the early growth of this
denomination in North America. Built in 1876, subsequent
to a schism of the nearby Anglican Church of England, this
church is representative of the early religious diversification
of Victoria.

The Church of our Lord is also valued for its atypical

architectural style and is the oldest church in Victoria.
Designed by architect John Teague, its simplistic vertical
lines, steep gable roof, and board-and-batten siding
distinguish it from the elaborate masonry churches nearby.
The wood form of the Carpenter Gothic style is an excellent
example of the adaptation of the classic Gothic style to suit
local building materials. In keeping with the beliefs of
religious revivals, this style was used for churches across
North America. Located on property donated by James
Douglas, this freestanding building is one of the few
remaining wooden structures of this style and era intact in
BC. It is a significant historic landmark on the outskirts of
the Old Town District.

Additionally, the replacement of an original Sunday School

annex by the Cridge Memorial Hall (1929), designed by
notable architects Samuel Maclure and Hubert Savage,
reflects the continued growth of the church's congregation.

Source: City of Victoria Planning & Development

Department

CHARACTER-DEFINING ELEMENTS

The character defining elements of the Church of Our Lord

include:
- the prominent location of this free-standing building at the
corner of Blanshard and Humbolt Streets
- the Carpenter Gothic style elements which act as
distinguishing features, such as the board-and-batten
siding, vertical buttress piers, bell tower, rose window, and
steep gable roof
- key interior features relating to John Teague's design,
found in spatial configurations, pointed-arch windows,
leaded and stained glass windows, decorative elements,
hammer beam ceiling, authentic woodwork and paneling
- the Cridge Memorial Hall, with design details reflective of
the church

RECOGNITION

HISTORICAL INFORMATION

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

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