Little church on the hill celebrates 180th consecration

What do the inventor of paper from wood fibre, the first premier of Nova Scotia and the last man to die in a dual in Nova Scotia have in common? They are all buried in the cemetery at St. John the Evangelist Church in Lower Sackville. And that's just the beginning of the fascinating story of the little church on the hill.

Located on the Old Sackville Road in Lower Sackville, St. John the Evangelist is visible from Magazine Hill. Some say it's even visible from Halifax. Painted bright white, the rectangular building has a simple pitched roof. It's the church you see when you close your eyes and think of one.

The inside is small and warm with traditional pews and stunning stained glass windows.

Darryl Spidell, a retired teacher from Sackville, has become the unofficial St. John's historian, talking to families, tracking down archives and reading countless diaries, minutes and vestry books dated back to the 1700s.

First and foremost he knows for sure that there were two churches located on the site, but there also may have been a third.

"We do know the land was put aside for a church in 1790 and we understand someone was buried there that same year but there is no mention of a church. The first we know of definitely was likely built in 1805 and the Rev. Benjamin Gerrish Gray was appointed minister in 1806."

That church was burned to the ground in 1828 and the present church was built a year later.

A celebration has been planned to mark the 180th consecration of St. John's and on May 15, the public is invited to attend an open house from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Items of interest will be on display, children in period costume will be attending and Darryl Spidell will be available to talk about the history of the church. There is also a special play time for children.

Finding out more about the history of St. John the Evangelist Church is a perfect place to start to find out more about the fascinating history of the Sackville area.

Drop in on May 15 to find out about the connection between four spinster ladies, the possible reasons for why the main door doesn't face the road, how far families travelled every Sunday and much more.

Bedford-Sackville Editor