In 1803, the first St. Margaret's of Scotland Roman Catholic Church, a small log building, was built at the cemetery, which was begun in 1792. A second church was built sometime between 1803 and 1837 and expanded in 1837. It was replaced by a new church in 1857. In 1898 the church was moved closer to the community about ¾ mile south and a new cemetery begun in its churchyard. This church burned on Friday, June 10, 1921, the Feast of St. Margaret’s, along with all other parish buildings except the house.
The present church, similar in design to the 1857 church, was built in the exact location on which it stood. For several years the church hall served as the church while this church was slowly being built as funds became available. There seems to be some confusion as to when the church was completed, but the cornerstone was laid in 1926 and it was not consecrated until 1949.
The fire which destroyed St. Margaret’s church in 1921 started around the last week in May and is thought to have started from a spark from the train back of Ashton railroad station around 9 or 10 miles south west of the church. It burned for about 2 weeks and several houses especially in the Armadale and Bear River North are were always in danger and the men kept busy going from house to house to protect the homes. It then died down for 2 or 3 days and everyone thought it was out for good and then sprang up suddenly again and before people realized and before many got to the church, it was burned too far to save. They just saved the main altar, organ, some of the pews and a few other articles.
The new present church at St. Margaret’s is a wooden structure on the exact same site as the old church that was burned and is of similar architecture and structure. Since the hall was quite satisfactory in every way as a church, it was a blessing in this necessity and the new house and other buildings could be built gradually without having to go in debt and when it was finished and consecrated in 1949 when Fr. George MacDonald was parish priest, there was little or no debt on the parish. It is a beautiful church from the interior and exterior and has a nice main altar, two side altars, statues, stations, etc. It is fully renovated according to the suggestions of Vatican Council II and English instead of Latin was first used at the funeral of Miss Bessie (Joe) MacDonald when the "Kyrie Eleison" was sung in English at her funeral mass. This was 1965 or 1966.
The bell in the present church was donated by Mr. Lawrence MacDonald in memory of his wife nee Miss Deagle from Rollo Bay. Lawrence kept a store at Bear River Station and also the Bear River Post Office. There was a large crowd present for the blessing of the bell and laying of the corner stone of the new church. Fr. MacAuley, Parish Priest at St. Peter’s Bay preached an excellent sermon at the blessing of the bell.
From The Island Register