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.
Reverend Forneri arrived in Adolphustown in 1883 and was not impressed with the 60-year-old St. Paul’s Church. He was also appalled at the state of the cemetery in which United Empire Loyalists were buried, feeling strongly these people who first settled Upper Canada deserved a permanent Memorial recognizing their contribution to founding the province of Ontario.
Reverend Forneri’s enthusiasm towards his self-appointed task allowed him to gain the full support of his parishioners but such a church as he had in mind was beyond the financial reach of just 22 families. 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 the descendants of UEL settlers. 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 the construction of his Church. On June 17th, 1884 the cornerstone of St. Alban’s was laid by the Honourable John Beverly Robinson, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. The first service was held in 1890 and St. Alban’s Church played an important religious and social role in the Adolphustown community for almost 130 years.
St. Alban’s Church
Minton Memorial Tiles & McCausland Stained Glass Windows Photo: Sean Hearon
- The Power and Son architectural firm was commissioned to design and oversee the construction of St. Alban’s Church in 1884. They were a Kingston firm who built a number of important buildings between 1849 and 1930 which are today considered local architectural landmarks. Some of their notable projects were McIntosh Castle, the Hotel Belvedere, the extension to St. George’s Cathedral and the reconstruction of Kingston’s City Hall and it’s Dome.
- Built of limestone in the Gothic Revival style with a distinctive tower and Spire, 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.
- Sixty-four Minton commemorative tiles encircle the interior of the church of which 33 tiles had been installed by the time the first service was held in 1890. The final tile was added in 1909. These encaustic tiles, memorializing various United Empire Loyalists and other early settlers, were paid for by their descendants as part of Reverend Forneri’s fundraising endeavours.
- Numerous stained glass windows also add to the beauty of St. Alban’s. 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.
In Memory of: UEL Commemorative Artifacts
Minton Encaustic Memorial Tiles
“Benefiting from the short-lived, sixty 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
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
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.