St. Mary’s was designated a Province of Prince Edward Island Heritage Place in November, 11, 2011. No longer a Catholic Church, it was decommissioned by the Roman Catholic diocese in September 2009 and purchased by the Indian River Festival in 2010. On the opening of the 2011 Indian River Festival a certificate and provincial heritage plaque were presented, making its status official.
This is the third Roman Catholic church to occupy this site, the first being in use from 1814 until being torn down to make room for a larger one in 1843. That church existed until August 4, 1896, when it fell victim to lightning and burned.
Another of the works of noted Island architect William Critchlow Harris, this $20,000 church was purposely built to impress. In about 1900, when it came time to replace the burned church, the pastor, Rev. Monsignor D.J. Gillis, asked Harris to ""build it like
Kinkora's church, only bigger and better!" This Harris accomplished masterfully, creating a magnificent piece of eye candy for the congregation.
Clad in scalloped shingles above and straight cut shingles below, the French Gothic style building is set off by a tall round tower at one corner. Around the base of the tall conical spire are a series of twelve small gablets, each above a niche housing one of the twelve apostles. Each corner of the transept is capped with a small tower, while yet another tower rises from the centre of the transcept. Overall, this is one of Harris' finest works and is, fortunately for all concerned, being extremely well maintained.
St. Mary's Church, a fine example of the French Gothic influence, was built in 1902 by Island architect, William Critchlow Harris. The Harris trademark, a rib-vaulted or groined ceiling, enhances the quality of sound and archives this with the use of fir, pine, spruce, maple, and birch throughout the building.
Today, St. Mary's remains the architectural and acoustical treasure that William Harris envisioned; the perfect setting for voice and instruments to celebrate wonderful music. It has been said that the natural acoustics of St. Mary's rates as one of the top ten places to perform in the world.
Since 1996, the Under the Spire, formerly known as Indian River Festival, has arranged for some of the best classical musicians in North America and Europe to perform at St. Mary's.
From Under the Spire
Presented by the Confederation Bridge,
Under the Spire offers a summer long series of concerts in a magnificent heritage church located in idyllic rural Prince Edward Island. This former church was built for music by famed PEI architect William Critchlow Harris, who took his inspiration from the inside of a violin. Today the exceptional acoustics in this French- Gothic building have gained an international reputation, making it a favourite for both performers and their fans alike.
Now entering its 29th season in 2024, this summer-long concert series attracts thousands of music lovers annually to the acoustically perfect Historic St. Mary’s. This summer, step inside the music and join us under the stunning 120-year-old vaulted, wooden ceiling for some of the best in classical, traditional, folk, jazz and world music!
The photo of the church interior at the bottom is courtesy of
Under the Spire
P.E.I.'s St. Mary’s Church
designated a heritage place
Published on July 08, 2012
INDIAN RIVER — St. Mary’s Church, home of the popular Indian River Festival, has been designated a heritage place in recognition of its historical and architectural significance to the Island.
St. Mary’s Church was presented with a certificate and provincial heritage plaque Friday on the opening night of the Indian River Festival.
“St. Mary’s Church is the true star of the Indian River Festival,” said Tourism and Culture Minister Robert Henderson.
“One just needs to hear the acoustics and tour the building to appreciate the details that make this church so architecturally and culturally significant.”
Constructed between 1900 and 1902, St. Mary’s Church is the largest wooden church in the province with seating for 600. Widely admired for its architectural and acoustic details, the church has many recognizable features, including the dominant 128-foot circular tower on the southwest corner decorated with statues of the 12 apostles.
Designed by well-known and accomplished architect William Critchlow Harris in the French Gothic style, St. Mary’s is considered the highlight of his work. The church was built by Nathan MacFarlane, a skilled master carpenter whose works can be found throughout the province...
The church was decommissioned by the Roman Catholic diocese in September 2009 and purchase by the Indian River Festival in 2010. An extensive restoration program was undertaken in 2010 and 2011 under the direction of Indian River Festival Association and the Friends of St. Mary’s, which saw the roof replaced, the exterior painted, the large gothic window restored, and improvements made to the stained glass windows and entranceways.
From the The Charlottetown Guardian
Note: Announced in 2021, the Indian River Festival was rebranded and is now knowns as
Under the Spire