When touring around to visit relatives at Canadian Thanksgiving this fall, we stopped for a picnic at the ruins of St. Raphael’s church in the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas, and Glengarry, in the Ottawa area.
St. Raphael’s, one of the earliest Roman Catholic churches in English-speaking Canada, was built by Scottish pioneers in the early nineteenth century.
A historic plaque in the adjoining cemetery offers this information: “Early in September, 1786, a group of some 500 Scottish Highlanders, the majority of whom were Macdonells, arrived at Quebec. They were led by their parish priest from Knoydart, Glengarry, the Reverend Alexander MacDonell (Scotus). Forced to emigrate because of the depressed economic conditions of the Highlands, they had been encouraged to come to Canada and settle among their fellow countrymen in what is now Glengarry County. “
The parish of St. Raphael was a mission of the Roman Catholic Highlanders of the Raisin River settlement. It was begun when the colonists arrived in 1786 and officially recognized in 1802. Before the stone church was built, a small frame church called the Blue Chapel was used. Alexander Macdonnell (1762-1840) went on to become the first Roman Catholic bishop in Upper Canada, using St. Raphael’s as his administrative centre.
The church of St. Raphael’s that now stands ruined was built between 1815 and 1821 using local limestone — “a fine example of Canadian neo-classical design,” as another plaque puts it. The roof was timber and the interior walls were covered in painted lime plaster. Since no columns were used there was an unobstructed view for one thousand people.
In 1970 a fire destroyed the church. Ontario’s Historic Places explains that “St. Raphael’s roof, its 1830s tower and all of its 1900 interior decoration were destroyed by fire. The outer walls were spared and thus its plan, impressive scale and fine masonry work were preserved.”
Soon after, the Ontario Heritage Foundation began a stabilization project. Further stabilization measures were undertaken in 1973 and 1986.
The Friends of the St. Raphael’s Ruins was founded in 1993 and purchased the ruins from the township for $1.00. In September 1997 the ruins were designated a National Historic Site and two years later the Friends of the St. Raphael Ruins completed phase three of the stabilization. To date the Friends have raised $800,000. Their vision is stated as follows:
“The Ruins of St Raphaels will remain a significant landmark recognized for its illustrious contribution to Canadian heritage during the early formation of Upper Canada. Visitors to this site will remark on its beauty and its history as described by informed and articulate historical interpreters.
“Tourists from afar will join with local and visiting families to share in the uniqueness of these Ruins as they resound with musical and artistic attractions that reflect our heritage and cultural diversity. In addition to the wealth of entertainment, visitors will have the opportunity to view and appreciate artistic creations that reflect the richness of our neighbourhood and region.”
Some of the factors that make St. Raphael’s a significant heritage site, according to Ontario’s Historic Places, include:
– its location on what was the old King’s Road in South Glengarry County;
– its setting as part of an ecclesiastical precinct in a pastoral landscape;
– the integrity of the ruin, namely the surviving layout, elevations, and interior and exterior detailing of the well-crafted cut stone walls;
– evidence of its relatively large size and cruciform plan with semi-circular apse as defined by the surviving footprint;
– evidence of the simple Palladian design in the entry facade with wide triangular pediment and giant Tuscan pilasters framing a three-bay composition, and in the regularly spaced, round-headed window openings on all elevations;
If you are ever in the area, I suggest you stop to view the stunning shell of St. Raphael’s. I can say from personal experience that it’s a unique place for a picnic.
What a lovely place, with such an interesting history!