On Wednesday Afternoon the people of Port Hill in Prince County celebrated the 100th Anniversary of the building of the first Anglican Church in that district. The commemoration service was held in the original Church which still stands in the church grounds, and as was customary in those days, within the cemetery grounds.
The Church is in a remarkable state of preservation, the original shingles, made by the early settlers and also the hand made nails, are a lasting memorial to the courage and industry of the Pioneers of Port Hill. The new rector Rev. G. Stavert Tanton intends to restore the Church both inside and out so that it will be preserved for future generations. The Church is now used as a Sunday School. The interior has been sheathed but much to the regret of the older parishioners the gallery at the back for the choir has been removed.
The original pulpit is there, as well as the organ and altar, and altar rail. Framed copies of the ten commandments are in a marvelous state of preservation and hang on the wall of the Sanctuary on each side of the altar. The original Bible is still in the Church and was laid on the pulpit for the use of the visiting Clergy.
EARLY HISTORY
From a small framed sketch which in the porch and which was prepared by Rev. A. H. Hart-Davies, former rector now In Edinburg Scotland, visitors learn that St. James Church was built in 1841 "by the efforts of the original English settlers, with the assistance of a grant of 150 pounds sterling from the Venerable Society for the Propagation of the Gospel."
"It was consecrated on June 23rd 1843, by Rt. Rev. Bishop Ingles, son of the famous Bishop Charles Ingles, first Anglican Bishop of any overseas diocese of the Empire."
The little sketch also states Port Hill was a thriving centre of shipbuilding and services were conducted in the settlement by the rectors of St. John's Church, St. Eleanors, for some years before the Church was built and that the cemetery must be over 100 years old as it had
been in use for some time before the Church was built.
From the Charlottetown Guardian