Designated a Canadian National Historic Site in 1994, Christ Church is the oldest church on the British Columbia mainland. The Gothic Revival church has, through the years, been visited by royalty and attended by notables. Given its status and its age, Christ Church has become a very popular wedding and social venue.
A simple rectangle with a small bell tower at one end of the gable roof, the church has a narthex offset from centre on one side of the nave and a small chancel or apse at the real. The little stepped bell tower has gabled, wooden slat covered vents on each side, a wood shingled roof and shiplap wood siding matching that of the building. While all windows are rectangular, with diamond pattern muntin bars, the double wood doors of the narthex, hung on heavy iron hinges, form a Gothic arch at their tops. Concrete steps and a concrete wheelchair ramp, built in 1995 and dedicated to Reverend Harold Vaughan-Thomas and other Parishioners, lead to the narthex.
Beside the church is a labyrinth of bi-colour square pavers, while a CNHS plaque and a historical marker have been installed in front of the building. While situated within the City of Hope, the church stands in a very pastoral setting, surrounded by large, mature trees and landscaped grounds. Text from said historical marker follows.
Christ Church
Built in 1861, Christ Church was at the centre of BC's early history. Christ Church National Historic Site is the longest continually-operating church on BC's mainland. By the time it was completed in 1861, Hope had a diminished role in the saga of the Gold Rush. Yet, today it remains as one of the last and best-preserved buildings from this tumultuous era.
Architecture
Christ Church is the oldest Church on BC's mainland, and a fine example of Gothic Revival architecture. This style represented a return to 'High Church' standards while imparting a strong British presence — a symbolic message to the American gold miners who dominated the new colony after the gold rush of 1858.
A Gathering Place
The year 1892 witnessed an event that would be termed 'The Great Indian Gathering' in Hope. Many First Nations travelled a great distance to attend the event, due to the presence of Bishop George Hills and Reverend John Booth Good - both of whom were very involved with early missionary work.
Historic Significance
Many of British Columbia's early leaders attended services at Christ Church in Hope.
James Douglas, BC's first governor, visited Christ Church during the gold rush years.
Edgar Dewdney was married here in 1864, after building his famous gold rush trail.
Susan Allison married here in 1868, becoming a celebrated rancher and mother of 14 children.
From the Historical Marker at the Church
Christ Church
DESCRIPTION OF HISTORIC PLACE
The Christ Church National Historic Site of Canada is a modest, beautifully crafted wooden structure designed in the Gothic Revival style located in the town of Hope, British Columbia. The building’s design is composed of clearly distinguishable nave and chancel sections and a side entrance porch, all covered with gable roofs. The exterior is clad with clapboard siding and displays square-headed windows and a Gothic style doorway. The building’s historic character is enhanced by its beautiful setting on a large, well-maintained lot surrounded by mature fir trees. The official recognition refers to the church on its property.
HERITAGE VALUE
Christ Church was designated a national historic site of Canada in 1994 because:
- it is a fine example of Anglican parish church architecture in the Ecclesiological Gothic Revival style;
- it is one of the best-preserved churches in Western Canada and the oldest church in British Columbia on its original foundation;
- it is representative of the response of the British church and state to the social and political conditions created by the Fraser River and Cariboo gold rushes in colonial British Columbia.
Associated with the Church of England, the ecclesiological Gothic Revival architectural movement called for a return to more traditional forms of church design, rooted in English architecture of the Middle Ages. Features, such as the side entrance with a Gothic style doorway, a bell tower, and clear separation of nave and chancel in visibly distinct building volumes, were characteristic of this style. Inside, the separation of the nave from the chancel was reinforced by the use of a chancel rail and by elevating the chancel three steps above the nave.
Christ Church was one of approximately 14 similar Anglican churches built in British Columbia between 1859 and 1866 under the direction of Bishop George Hills and executed under the auspices of the Corps of Royal Engineers stationed in British Columbia at the height of the Gold Rush era. The construction of these churches was a part of a concerted plan to establish British institutions in the new colonies of Vancouver Island and Mainland British Columbia. At Christ Church, these objectives were clearly expressed through the high quality of construction and strict adherence to “high church” standards of design, demanded by Bishop Hills and provided by the Royal Engineers and local builders. Christ Church is one of the oldest-surviving and best-preserved churches in western Canada.
From Historic Places Canada