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 The Auld Kirk - Fredericton, NB Posted by:  T0SHEA
N 45° 57.543 W 066° 38.739
19T E 682435 N 5092192
This somewhat nondescript little apartment building turns out to be one with more of a history than one would suspect upon first glance.
Waymark Code: WMP8BG
Location: New Brunswick, Canada
Date Posted: 07/18/2015
Views: 2
An Auld Kirk is an Old Scottish Church, and this Auld Kirk is so old that it predates its congregation. It was completed in 1830, while St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church was not formally organized until 1832. The congregation grew and the Kirk was enlarged around 1840. The congregation continued to grow and in 1881 a new St. Paul's was begun, the Kirk becoming the Auld Kirk. To make room for the new church the Auld Kirk was moved to the back of the lot and used for some time as a Sunday School building for 34 years.
In 1885 the bell was removed from the Auld Kirk's tower and placed in the new church, where it remains today. Some time after the tower was removed from the Auld Kirk.
In 1916 the Auld Kirk was moved about 100 feet, to the next lot to the east and turned into an apartment building. It is still there, known as the Kirk Apartments, still bearing the name KIRK over the entrance. With that second move it became the only building in Fredericton known to have been moved twice.
Auld Kirk
DESCRIPTION OF HISTORIC PLACE
When this building, the original St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church, was dedicated in 1830 it stood at the corner of George and York streets. Moved twice in its history, the Kirk Apartments, formerly known as the Auld Kirk, was relocated to the north side of Charlotte Street between York and Carleton streets in 1916. Since that time, it has been known as the Kirk Apartments.
HERITAGE VALUE
The heritage value of the Auld Kirk is associated with its original function as a Presbyterian Church. Mr. Fitzpatrick built the two-storey wood-frame church with a projecting tower based upon William Taylor’s design plans. The building was completed in 1830, and St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church was formally organized in 1832. To better serve and accommodate the congregation, the Kirk was enlarged around 1840. By 1881, the Church Trustees decided it was time to replace the Kirk with a new place of worship. With plans to build a new church, the original church building became known as the “Old Kirk,” or more commonly the “Auld Kirk.”
With the demands of a growing congregation, the Auld Kirk had been renovated and altered many times. The bell first placed in the original Kirk in 1832 was removed from the belfry and placed into the new St. Paul’s Church in 1885. Sometime after that, the tower had been removed from the Auld Kirk, greatly altering its appearance.
The Auld Kirk has the distinction of being the only building in Fredericton known to have been twice moved. To make room for the construction of the new St. Paul’s Church, the Auld Kirk was moved to the rear of the lot. The church originally fronted on George Street and, in May 1882, William Price moved the Auld Kirk to its new location on York Street. The Auld Kirk served as a Sunday School in connection with St. Paul’s Church for the next 34 years. A bequeath from the Donald Fraser estate in 1916 enabled St. Paul’s to replace the Auld Kirk with a new building. Rather than tear down the Auld Kirk, which had been considered, the building was sold and moved to its current location.
With the removal of this building imminent, a farewell service was held in the Auld Kirk on May 28, 1916. The removal of this structure from York Street to Charlotte Street was the most substantial undertaking in Fredericton’s history of building relocation. William Gough placed the Auld Kirk in position on Charlotte Street. Converted to an apartment building, the Auld Kirk became and still remains known as the Kirk Apartments.
CHARACTER-DEFINING ELEMENTS
The character-defining elements identified with the Auld Kirk include:
- rectangular two-storey wood-frame construction;
- its situation upon Charlotte Street;
- low-pitched front-facing gable roof;
- triangular pediment along the veranda roof line;
- large, rectangular windows;
- two-storey, pillared veranda with balustrades;
- central entrance with rectangular transom and Roman arch fanlight;
- its former identity as both the Kirk and Auld Kirk.
From Historic Places Canada
Date the Church was built, dedicated or cornerstone laid: 01/01/1830
Age of Church building determined by?: Other reliable source
If denomination of Church is not part of the name, please provide it here: Presbyterian
Street address of Church:
433 Charlotte Street
Fredericton, NB Canada
E3B 1L9
Secondary Website for Church or Historic Church Building: [Web Link]
If Church is open to the public, please indicate hours: Not listed
If Church holds a weekly worship service and "all are welcome", please give the day of the week: Not listed
Indicate the time that the primary worship service is held. List only one: Not Listed
Primary website for Church or Historic Church Building: Not listed
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