Opened for services in 1823, the church was consecrated in 1826 with the smashing of a bottle of wine against its spire by the eldest son of the donor of the land on which the church and cemetery stand.
Though considered a Loyalist Church, St. Martin's in the Woods was actually built on land donated by a transplanted Londoner, one William Hanington by name, who apparently named the church after his church in London, St. Martin-in-the-Fields. The vast majority of the congregation, though, consisted of United Empire Loyalists who had fled to Canada from the US during the American Revolutionary War. The plans for the church were drawn by an American named Frost while it was framed by another American named Emerson.
Built of local pine, the wooden church was framed with axe-squared timbers fastened together with wooden pegs. The building was clad in hand split shingles and retains much of the original window glass. In 2007 a sympathetic addition was made to the church to add washrooms and meeting rooms. Prior to that the building was unplumbed. Looking at the building it's difficult to say what is original and what has been added later. Today, the building is rather "different" in appearance, with a tall steeple and bell tower near the centre of the building and a smaller steeple at the front.
The church holds regular services to this day and its cemetery, to the side and rear of the church, continues to accept burials. The cemetery was founded in 1823, with the first known burial being that of Margaret Milne, who died January 16, 1830. There are almost certainly older burials, either now unmarked or with unreadable headstones. As of today, there are at least 320 interments in the cemetery.
The founder of the community and the builder of St. Martin's in the Woods, William Hanington, and his wife Mary are buried in the cemetery with a large headstone and a mounted plaque relating a glimpse into their lives.
St. Martin's in the Woods
Shediac Cape in those days was largely virgin forest with tall pine trees which became masts for warships and other sailing vessels. A parishioner of the Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, in London, England, purchased a grant of land of 5,000 acres which included what is now known as Shediac Cape and arrived at the site of his land from London in March 1785, built a log cabin and proceeded to develop his holdings. Eventually he married and set up housekeeping. Gradually others were induced to settle in the area with the result that there were the beginnings of a little colony.
Among those who came to reside in Shediac Cape was a former resident of Pembroke, Mass., by name Bowen Smith, the third son of the Honourable Josiah and Mary Smith. His grandfather Smith was the Reverend Thomas Smith who came to America from England and in 1630-36, settled in Plymouth, Mass., and married Susanna, sister of Governor Hinkley of Massachusetts. Bowen Smith first came to Saint John, New Brunswick, in 1787 as one of those known as Loyalists, that is, those who migrated to the British colonies to the north or what is now Canada at the time of the Revolution. From Saint John he went to Kingston, not far from Saint John and a centre of Loyalist population, where he married a daughter of a Colonel Lyon who was sent to America on military duty, settled first at Fort Fairfield, Connecticut, and then in Kingston, New Brunswick. Bowen Smith then settled in Shediac Cape in 1805 and became prominent in mercantile affairs.
At that time there were several families at Shediac Cape but no church. The Londoner who purchased the grant of 5,000 acres, William Hanington by name, had carried with him to the New World the religious training he had received as a member of the congregation of the Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields in London, England. He used to hold religious services in his house on Sun-days, using the English Prayer Book and a printed volume of sermons, to which all comers were welcomed. The parish was served from time to time by the parish of Sackville, about thirty five miles to the east of Shediac Cape. Although travelling from the parish of Sackville was somewhat of a trial of endurance the resident clergyman there visited Shediac Cape once every quarter. Through the efforts of one of these rectors, Reverend Christopher Milner, and those of the more prominent members of the community, its church was erected in 1821-22 which still stands and continues to serve the parish of Shediac.
The frame is of axe-squared timber fastened with wooden pegs. The shingles are hand split and much of the original glass of the windows, now museum pieces, is preserved. The land on which the church is built was donated by William Hanington, an American, one Frost by name, drew the plans and another American, by name Emerson, framed the building. The rector of Sackville, Reverend Christopher Milner, helped to hew out the timbers. William Hanington became a church warden and Bowen Smith a member of the vestry. At the consecration of St. Martin's in 1826 the eldest son of William Hanington climbed the spire and broke a bottle of wine.
The church was first served by missionaries supported by the Society of the Propagation of the Gospel, in London, England, known more familiarly as the SPG, and the first resident clergyman was installed in 1828. One of the rectors was in office for forty-five years, 1836-1881.
From JStor.Org