Old St. Thomas Church Lychgate - St. Thomas, ON - Lychgates and Depositories on Waymarking.com

Completed in 1824, making it one of the earliest structures built in the Talbot Settlement (present-day St Thomas), St Thomas Church is one among the oldest churches in the province (based on a Wikipedia list of oldest buildings and structures in Ontario: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_oldest_buildings_in_Canada#Ontario) (visit link)

For that reason, the church is now simply known at the Old St Thomas Church or as the St. Thomas Pioneer Church. It was used from 1824 until 1877, when the congregation moved to a larger church. Fortunately, the church was not demolished and has been preserved to this day. It was designated under the Ontario Heritage Act in 1982.

The lychgate stands at the entrance to the Cemetery and in-line with the church entrance. It was constructed in 1948 - almost 70 years after the last church service, but presumable while the cemetery was still in active use. Today the cemetery is not open for burials but it is still well maintained.

The plaque on the lychgate reads:

TO THE GLORY OF GOD
AND IN MEMORY OF THE PIONEERS OF THE ST THOMAS DISTRICT WHO BUILT A CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY IN A NEW LAND
THIS LYCH-GATE IS THE GIFT OF ALFRED E. & MARY MAXWELL
1948
THE PLACE WHEREON THOU STANDEST IS HOLY GROUND

Year: 1948 Cemetery Address: 55 Walnut Street St. Thomas, Ontario Link to Church or Cemetery: [Web Link]

Visit Instructions:
Include at least one photo of the lychgate or Depositoire taken by yourself. A short description of, or comment on, your visit is required, as well.

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log   09/30/2023 Keldar5 visited it 01/08/2022 HubbyG visited it 01/08/2022 Desafio visited it 09/09/2019 Mexican Flores visited it

View all visits/logs