Built in 1847 for the Methodist congregation, Boylston United Church sits on the shore of the Milford Haven River, looking out over the river 8 kilometres from the village of Guysborough. Here, the river is more like a long fiord leading inland from Chedabucto Bay on the northeastern corner of Nova Scotia.
This little country church was known as the Manchester Methodist Church until 1887, when the name was changed to Boylston. In that same year a parsonage was built in the village. In 1925, with
Church Union in Canada, the church became a United Church and remains so today, holding services each Sunday, we believe, at 11:00 AM.
We must make note of the steeple above this church, as it is quite a unique one. Tall and slender, its surface is very smooth, ala metal or even fibreglass. It sits atop the three stage tower and belfry with its eaves hanging over the belfry's walls as though it was made too big for the tower. It makes for a very photogenic steeple.
The church stands on the northwest corner of the churchyard, with its cemetery stretching out to the south and east. With at least 347 known burials, the cemetery is still in use. Begun as a Methodist cemetery at about the time the church was built, the earliest known burial is that of Cunningham, Julinea Whitman, born Oct. 27, 1813, died 1853. Though the cemetery was extant for about half of the nineteenth century,
Find A Grave lists only 12 burials in that century.
The Methodist Church in Boylston was built in 1847. The circuit name of Manchester first appears in the minutes of the Methodist Church conference of 1865. In 1887 the circuit name was changed to Boylston and a parsonage was built in the community. Their regular minister of this charge was the Rev. William McCarthy, (1851-1852).
In 1890 the church was turned and moved slightly from its old site. When union came on June 10th, 1925 this church became known as the Boylston United Church of Canada. The first minister after union was the rev. W. Hird.
From Guysborough County Genealogy