A Rich Past, A Promising Future

IN THE BEGINNING

The construction of St. Alban’s UEL Memorial Church was the result of the dream and unflagging efforts of Reverend Richard Forneri. The Anglican congregation of Adolphustown had built St. Paul’s Church in 1822 and though their numbers were never large they played an important role in the community. After St. Alban's opened, the former St. Paul's served as the Church Hall for about 100 years. It was located about 900 feet west of St. Alban's, surrounded by the graves of those who built it.

Reverend Forneri arrived in Adolphustown in 1883 and believed an upgrade to the 60-year-old wood-frame St. Paul’s Church was needed. He was also appalled at the state of the cemetery in which the original United Empire Loyalists were buried, feeling strongly these people who had fought in the American Revolution and then spearheaded the settlement and development of Upper Canada (out of the western wilds of the Colony of Quebec, which they first experienced, upon landing on the shores of the newly surveyed and named Adolphustown) deserved a permanent Memorial recognizing their contribution to founding the province of Ontario and playing a leading role its early decades.

Reverend Forneri’s enthusiasm towards his self-appointed task allowed him to gain the full support of his parishioners, but the quality of church as he had in mind was beyond the financial reach of the 22 families who were supporting St. Paul's. To acquire the rest of the funds needed, Reverend Forneri travelled extensively around the province and beyond to interest possible benefactors in his project. Many of the contributors were not Anglican, but were the descendants of original United Empire Loyalists. A local businessman, J.J. Watson, donated the land on which the Church was built.

On the centennial of the landing of the first United Empire Loyalists in Adolphustown, Reverend Forneri was ready to begin construction of the Church of St. Alban the Martyr, Adolphustown. On June 17th, 1884 the cornerstone of St. Alban’s was laid by the Honourable John Beverley Robinson, Lieutenant- Governor of Ontario.

The first service was held in 1890 and St. Alban’s went on to serve important religious and social roles in the Adolphustown community for almost 130 years.

As a footnote:

Prior to his time in Adolphustown, Rev. Forneri was Rector of Christ Church and St. John’s Church in Belleville, and after leaving Adolphustown, he served in Merrickville and Kingston.

black and white photo of the cathedral with a tower

St. Alban’s Church

Adolphustown, the Cornerstone of Greater Napanee

Minton Memorial Tiles & McCausland Stained Glass Windows

The Power and Son architectural firm from Kingston was commissioned in1884 to design and oversee the construction of St. Alban’s Church. They had already built a number of important buildings between 1849 and 1930 which are today considered local architectural landmarks. Some of their notable projects were the reconstruction of Kingston’s City Hall and its Dome, McIntosh Castle, the Hotel Belvedere, and an extension to St. George’s Cathedral.

Built of limestone in the Gothic Revival style with a distinctive tower and Spire, the St. Alban’s interior displays a number of unique architectural features. The vaulted wooden ceiling above the altar (the chancel) has the appearance of being crafted by carpenters with ship building experience using plank on plank construction.

The 64 Minton commemorative tiles encircle the interior of the church, giving it a history and a look unmatched. Of these, 33 tiles had been installed by the time of the first service in 1890. The final tile was added by 1909. These specially designed encaustic tiles, memorializing United Empire Loyalist individuals and other early settlers, were funded by their descendants as part of Reverend Forneri’s fundraising endeavours. The only similarly sourced tiles known in North America are in the Capitol building in Washington, DC and a building in New York City's Central Park.

Numerous stained glass windows also add to the beauty of St. Alban’s, while having contributed to its construction. Reverend Forneri encouraged parishioners and benefactors to purchase stained glass windows to support the construction of the church. Three stained glass windows were installed by 1890 with others being added over the next 100 years to replace the clear glass in the original windows. Most of these stained glass windows were designed and created by artisans employed at the prominent stained glass studio of Robert McCausland in Toronto. The luminous, contemporary Rose window installed in 2008 was the final window in St. Alban’s to be beautified with stained glass.

The carved pews and altar are original to St. Alban’s and were built to Reverend Forneri’s specifications.

photo by Sean Hearon

The Congregations of St. Albans

When Rev. Forneri proposed building the new Anglican Church dedicated to the memory of the United Empire Loyalists, his enthusiasm garnered the full support of his small 22-family congregation. The size of the congregation increased and diminished over time but within the Adolphustown area, St. Alban’s Church continued its secular role as a social centre for the community.

Early Church records report on the making and selling of ice cream and by the 1920s Ice Cream Socials were popular. As were the Saturday night dances held in the 1930s through the summer months. St. Alban’s also hosted local theatre groups and choirs whose performances were open to the community. In the 1970s mention is made of baseball teams from Adolphustown, Bath, Collin’s Bay and Kingston returning to St. Alban’s for an evening Service and social gathering. In the 1970s several fundraising 'walkathons' were also sponsored by the congregation.

As well as hosting these events, annual Fowl Suppers, Pancake Suppers, Strawberry Teas and Pie Socials were held. Even line dancing was a popular offering at one point. Of course, being a church, St. Alban’s was the setting for a number of weddings and funerals. In recent years, due to an aging and diminishing congregation these events became fewer. It is our hope St. Alban’s Centre will again serve as a social gathering place for the local community and our visitors.

What is a UEL Memorial Church?

The cornerstone for St. Alban’s the Martyr UEL Memorial Church was laid in 1884 on the Centennial of the landing of the first Loyalists in Upper Canada, off Adolphus Reach on the Bay of Quinte onto the shores of Adolphustown in a spot now part of the UEL Heritage Centre and Park.

In a letter to a prospective donor Rev. Forneri wrote,

"beginning at the Chancel, a band of coloured English tiles will run along the wall just above the wainscoting and in this band will be inserted polished tablets bearing the names of prominent Loyalists of Canada. There they will not, like their tombstones, crumble under the action of the weather. There they will be read with reverence by succeeding generations. Thus names which are historical will be lastingly preserved".

Besides 'authoring' the construction of St. Alban’s UEL Memorial Church Rev. Forneri advocated establishing a fund to keep the story of the Loyalists alive by hosting a yearly lecture featuring a well-informed speaker. The fund no longer exists if it ever did, but the parishioners of St. Alban’s carried out his vision and a UEL Memorial Service featuring a prominent speaker was held at the Church each June on the Sunday closest to the June 16 landing date. The first UEL Memorial Service was held in 1934, the 150th Anniversary of the Landing of the Loyalists in Adolphustown. We are continuing this tradition.

The parishioners of St. Alban’s have taken pride in their UEL association and lovingly preserved the 64 encaustic memorial tiles installed in the frieze encircling the interior of the Church. Likewise, they treasured several other items gifted to the Church in its role as a Memorial to the Loyalists who founded Ontario and helped to found the Dominion of Canada.

In Memory of: UEL Commemorative Artifacts

tapestry with prayers inlaid on diamond-shaped frame

Minton Encaustic Memorial Tiles

“Benefiting from the short-lived, 60-year revival of this ancient art form, St. Alban’s, Adolphustown, is blessed with a rare and magnificent frieze of Minton memorial tiles, bearing inscriptions honouring Canada’s Loyalist settlers.”

Photo: Sean Hearon

union jack and a blue flag inside the cathedral

The Colours of the Queen’s Rangers

In 1959 St. Alban’s was presented with replicas of the Queen’s Rangers Colours carried during the American Revolution by the regiment. During an impressive service Major F.R. Brascombe addressed the Rector stating we:

“…request that they be deposited here for safekeeping as a token of our gratitude to Almighty God by Whom alone victory is secured….we also desire to provide a memorial to the men, women and children who voluntarily relinquished the comfort and ease of an established life in settled communities and followed, under Colours such as these the dictates of their conscience even to these very shores and here began new lives and new communities…”

Photo: John McNeill

black and white photo of a woman and the coventry's choir

Plaque commemorating Gena Branscombe UE

Other gifts with UEL ties are the Paschal candle, holder and plaque commemorating the life of Gena Branscombe, a local Picton woman, who was once a well-known composer of classical music.

Though she lived her adult life in America, Gena Branscombe was proud of her UEL heritage and her family chose St. Alban’s in which to hold a local memorial service and presentation in her honour.

The Mystery of St. Alban’s Old Bell

The mysteries with artifacts are usually about when they were made and by whom. This is not the case with the old bell on display inside St. Alban's. It says right on it: Made in 1690 by John Packer in Bristol. The mystery is how the bell ended up inside a church in Adolphustown and when did it crack?

The bell was recently brought inside for safekeeping after being on display for years in a small shelter outside the church.

Why was a bell, forged in Bristol in 1690, installed in St. George's Cathedral, Kingston in the 1790s? Why was it gifted to St. Paul’s Church, St. Alban's predecessor, built in 1822 in Adolphustown, where it gradually slipped into obscurity? By 1896 a reference to the bell indicates it was "no more than a relic, for it is cracked and cannot be used."

Yet research indicates the bell was in use as late as 1890 in the new St. Alban’s Church.

The mystery of the old bell remains.

What is certain is the old bell is now safe and proudly on display inside St. Alban's. We plan to have the bell undergo professional conservation.

While its history is still murky, the future of the bell is clear — it is part of the history of St. Alban's.

Photo: John McNeill

OUR HISTORY