St. Margaret's Anglican Church - Tantallon, NS - Anglican and Episcopal Churches on Waymarking.com

View waymark gallery

St. Margaret's Anglican Church - Tantallon, NS

in Anglican and Episcopal Churches

Posted by:  T0SHEA

20T E 428770 N 4945892

St. Margaret’s Anglican, on St. Margaret's Bay on the south shore of Nova Scotia, is one of four in the Parish of French Village.

The four churches in the Parish are St. Paul’s in Glen Haven, St. James’ in Boutilier’s Point, St. George's in Head of St. Margaret’s Bay, and St. Margaret's in Tantallon. Given that the four churches share a single rector, services are held every second Sunday in each church, with two church having services on any given Sunday. St. Margaret’s services take place at 9 A.M. on the first and third Sundays of each month.

Construction on St. Margaret’s was begun in late 1901, with the hope of having it completed for New Years of 1902. We know not whether that goal was met, as the church was not consecrated until January 15th, 1906. Built right on the edge of St. Margaret's Bay, the church's cemetery, which runs up and over a small hill to the side of the church, backs on the water of the bay. In the cemetery are ~190 burials, as indicated by Rootsweb. The earliest burials are those of Lavinia Slauenwhite, 1865 - 1903 and Rachel Dauphinee, who died December 3, 1903 at the age of 67 years. The cemetery is still in use today.

Not a very large church, it has nonetheless amply served the small community for over a century. The church stands with its long side facing St. Margaret’s Crescent and has had a hall added to the rear in recent years. Otherwise, other than updates to the siding and roofing, it appears as it did in 1906. A narthex jutting from the corner of the nave serves as the main entrance. The small bell tower and steeple are perched atop the gable roof, with the belfry enclosed by latticework. In the belfry is a bell cast in 1907 by the Meneeley Company of New York. The church's bell was rung for the first time on April 8, 1907. The inscription on the bell reads:

MENEELY & CO., WEST TROY N.Y. 1907
ST. MARGARET’S
TANTALLON
SAMUEL TRIVETT
RECTOR
EASTER 1907

History of St. Margaret’s Anglican Church
Est. 1906

St. Margaret’s Anglican Church was built to meet the needs of the people. The nearest Anglican churches at the turn of the century were located at French Village, St. Paul’s, and Boutilier’s Point, St. James’, which was a 7 to 8 mile return trip by horse and wagon and for many people, by foot.

The church, named for St. Margaret’s of Scotland, was built on land donated by Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Dauphinee. An early reference was made about it in the “Halifax Daily Echo”, November 13, 1901.

“The foundation of the “new Episcopal church at Tantallon” had been completed, and the cornerstone was laid on November 4th. “The frame is already on the ground and the work is being rushed along so as to have the church ready for opening by the New Year. The work is being superintended by James H. Slaughenwhite.”

During the time of the building, the pastor had been Rev. F.P. Greatorex. The church was consecrated January 15th, 1906, with incumbent Rev. Samuel Trivett. The bell in the steeple pealed for the first time on April 8, 1907.

Kenneth Russell Slaunwhite, born July 14, 1902, was the first to be baptized on March 22, 1903, by Rev. Trivett, and James R. MacLean, then of Granville Ferry, Annapolis County and Mabel G. Rankine of St. Margaret’s Bay were one of the first to be married – September 7, 1904.
Read more at the Parish of French Village.