The Cathedral Church of St. James

St. James' Cathedral

There are two plaques at this church.
Both can be seen on this page.

Photos by Alan L Brown - Posted May, 2010

Photo Source - Canadian Heritage Gallery

On Church Street, east side, just north of King Street East, can be found this plaque, a 1997 Heritage Toronto one, on the lawn. Here's what it says:

Plaque coordinates: 43.650291 -79.37438

In 1796 the first Anglican priest arrived from England to minister to the citizens of York. The following year the Province set aside this piece of land for the building of a church. The present Cathedral, the fourth church erected on this site, opened in 1853, replacing the previous structure destroyed in the Great Fire of 1849. The first Bishop of Toronto, the Right Reverend John Strachan, along with a number of his parishioners, played an important role in the early development of the city and province. Over the years, the cathedral, the Mother Church for Anglicans in the diocese of Toronto, has been a place of worship, prayer and outreach in the heart of a busy community.

Photos by Alan L Brown - Posted March, 2004

This Ontario Archaeological and Historic Sites Board plaque in front of the church, says this:

York's first church was built here in 1803-07 with the aid of public subscriptions and a government grant. That frame building was enlarged in 1818-19 and replaced by a larger one in 1831. The first incumbent was the Rev. George Okill Stuart, who served from 1800 to 1812 when he was succeeded by the Rev. John Strachan, later first bishop of Toronto. The second church was burnt in 1839. Toronto's first cathedral was then erected on this site but was destroyed in the great fire of 1849. The present cathedral was begun in 1850, opened for divine service in 1853, and completed in 1874.

Related Toronto plaques
The Bishop's Palace 1818
The Great Fire of 1849

More
Religious Buildings

Here are the visitors' comments for this page.

Posted July 28, 2012
There may be pictures in the City Archives of the Cemetery of St. James Cathedral which I remember as a teenager. The stones were removed and the property sodded 100 years after the last burial record.
Joan Byron Hill 28/7/12.

Posted February 23, 2011
What really surprises me is that the church isn't listed as a National Historic Site of Canada considering the history of the site, the prominent spire, the art and architecture, and all the important people who have been involved with the parish throughout its history.

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