Old St Edwards Church Museum

Old Postcard of St. Edwards church, clementspot, NS

The Old St Edwards Church Museum is located up on the hill in Clementsport. It was built in 1795 and is one of the oldest surviving churches in Nova Scotia. It's simplicity and method of construction are examples of a New England style church.

Before this church was built the people of Clementsport would hold church services in the homes and barns of local settlers. In 1790 fifty families from the area petitioned Bishop Charles Inglis, the first Bishop of Nova Scotia for a church in Clementsport.

The land for this new church was purchased from Douwe Ditmars for a small sum and the timber for the frame and boards were cut down from the same hill. St Edwards Church was consecrated by Bishop Charles Inglis on September 17, 1797.

As this church did not receive it's first rector until 1841 both the Rev. Jacob Bailey from the Annapolis parish and Roger Viets from the Digby parish preached here. For over thirty years after the church was built, an oil lamp was lifted up into the tower to help guide sailing ships.

By 1894 this church was starting to need a lot of repairs. It was felt that instead of repairing it they would build a new one down closer to the water in Clementsport. This new church was also named St. Edwards so they changed the name of the first one to Old St Edwards Church.

Plans were to tear the old church down but fortunately this never did happen. Instead Rector A.W.L. Smith and parishioner L.V. Shaw and the community of Clementsport began to restore the old church in 1916.

The church is still consecrated and they hold a service here once a year on the 3rd Sunday of August.

Today the old church is opened as the Old St Edwards Loyalist Church Museum during the summer months. The church has retained it's original style and still contains much of it's original 18th century furniture and furnishings. There is also a collection of United Empire Loyalist material costumes among their displays. A climb up the tower rewards the visitor with a wonderful view of the basin.

The church provides research facilities and has archives of old records and genealogical information.

Beside the old church is an old cemetery in which is the grave of Douwe Ditmars, (who basically donated the land for the church) who passed away in 1796. The newest grave seems to be the late 1960's. Although they do not perform "new burials" here they do still honour additions to existing plots.

The museum offers parking facilities, special needs facilities and wheelchair accessibility. They have guided tours or you may look around by yourself.

Old St Edwards Church Museum is located at 34 Old Post Road off Route #1 in Clementsport, Nova Scotia. You may contact them for an appointment at (902) 638 8554.

Leave The Old St Edwards Church Museum and return to see other Annapolis Valley Museums