From Sunday, June 27, to Tuesday, June 29, 2021 Lytton broke the all-time Canadian high-temperature record, with each day hotter than the last. The heat peaked on Tuesday when the temperature reached 121 F (49.6 C). Then, late Wednesday afternoon, June 30, a wildfire broke out in the town and, aided by strong winds, burned 90% of Lytton to the ground in just minutes, including St. Mary's and St. Paul's Anglican Church.
Wildfire Races Through Lytton.
Built about 1872, St. Mary's and St. Paul's is fast coming up on its 150th anniversary. There has been an Anglican presence in this area since 1867. Originally St Paul's Anglican Church, the church stands on First Nations Land and is a First Nations church. It was built not long after the arrival of the first Anglican missionary in the area, circa 1867. Today the parish has but a single pastor, performing Holy Eucharist the 2nd & 4th Sundays at 10:30 am in Lytton at St. Mary’s & St. Paul’s April-September, at St. Barnabas’ October-March and at St. Andrew’s in Boothroyd 4th Sunday at 2 pm.
St. Mary's and St. Paul's was built at the site of the Lytton Cemetery, south and east of the town, along the east side of the Present Trans Canada Highway. In 1897 the church was moved to its present location, being rebuilt in the 1930s. Given that St. Mary's and St. Paul's was originally a Church of England church and was once in a churchyard cemetery, it seems only fitting that it should have a lychgate at its entrance.
With this substantial lychgate at the street, the little Gothic Revival church is quite representative of New World Church of England churches of bygone years. The lychgate itself, however, is not quite an artefact of bygone years. Quite the opposite, we believe it was added during restoration efforts at the church in 2015-2016, though it could well be older. Of Post and Beam style construction, the lychgate consists of several heavy timbers on each side supporting a Gothic style roof on equally heavy timbers. Horizontal slats form the backs and sides for wooden seats on each side of the lychgate. No joinery was used in its construction, it being held together by bolts and wood screws.