Eglise Notre-Dame du Mont-Carmel Entrance Arch - PEI, Canada
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T0SHEA
N 46° 23.500 W 064° 01.973
20T E 420587 N 5138084
Notre-Dame du Mont-Carmel is an Acadian Roman Catholic church that absolutely blew me away with its intricate detail. It is well worth going out of one's way to view. Almost as picturesque is its cemetery.
Waymark Code: WMY4Q8
Location: Prince Edward Island, Canada
Date Posted: 04/21/2018
Views: 3
This is one EXTRAVAGANT church, for such a small community. It was built of local brick by local Acadian artisans in the Victorian Gothic style and has two bell towers at the front. If you find yourself in the Mont Carmel area in SW PEI, this is definitely worth stopping to see. Mont Carmel itself isn't more than a point on the map.
This church, located by the sea, was built in 1898, the third to be built on this site since 1812. The architect was Rene P. Lemay, the son of Pamphile Lemay, who had translated Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's influential 1847 poem, "Evangeline", in 1865. It is a registered historical site in the Province of Prince Edward /Island, though, unfortunately, the cemetery is not included in the registration.
At the road, acting as an entrance archway for the church is this tall, broad stone and concrete arch. It is just one of several stone structures at the church and the adjacent cemetery. Consisting of both rounded and cut stone with white painted concrete trim and caps, the arch's side posts extend past the beginning of the arch and are topped with concrete crosses. Atop the centre of the arch is a life sized depiction of Jesus, arms outstretched in welcome, standing on a low stepped plinth embossed with the year of construction of the arch, 1924.
Inscribed on the arch are the words:
MA MAISON SERA APPELÉE UNE MAISON DE PRIÈRE
(My house shall be called a house of prayer)
Eglise Notre Dame du Mont Carmel
DESCRIPTION OF HISTORIC PLACE
The large imposing Roman Catholic church of Notre Dame du Mont Carmel is a late Victorian Gothic brick structure situated by the sea in Mont Carmel, PEI. It is built in the classic "T" formation with two bell towers at the corners of the front of the building. The registration includes the footprint of the building.
HERITAGE VALUE
As the third Roman Catholic church constructed on this site since 1812, Notre Dame du Mont Carmel is significant as the spiritual home of many Acadian families in the Mont Carmel area of PEI.
It was built in 1898 from funds raised by the parishioners and the work was completed by many local artisans, including Anglophones who were not members of the parish. All of the estimated 450,000 bricks were made nearby at Frederick Strong's brickyard in Lower Bedeque.
The architect for the design was Rene P. Lemay, the son of Pamphile Lemay, who had translated Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's influential 1847 poem, "Evangeline", in 1865. The centenary of the building was celebrated in 1998.
CHARACTER-DEFINING ELEMENTS
The heritage value of the church is shown in the following character-defining elements:
- the solid brick construction
- the red Island sandstone foundation
- the Gothic inspired traceried windows, ribs, and stone lacework
- the circular rose windows
- the lancet windows
- the central door with its rose window and two sculpted heads
From Historic Places Canada
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