St. George by the Grange Anglican Church

St. George's Grange Park (Anglican Church)
Map
43°39′05″N 79°23′37″W / 43.65145°N 79.3935761°W / 43.65145; -79.3935761
Location30 Stephanie Street
Toronto, Ontario
DenominationAnglican Church of Canada
Websitestgeorgebythegrange.ca
History
Former name(s)St. George the Martyr Anglican Church
Founded1845
DedicationSt. George
Architecture
Architect(s)Henry Bowyer Lane
Kivas Tully
StyleGothic Revival
Years built1845 (tower)
1857 (church)
Administration
ProvinceOntario
DioceseToronto
Episcopal areaYork-Credit Valley
DeaneryParkdale

St. George's Grange Park, formerly known as St. George the Martyr, is an Anglican Church of Canada church in the Grange Park neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario. The church re-opened[1] for public worship in September 2024 after a period of "sabbath rest".[2]

The present church building was constructed in 1857 as the parish hall and became the place of worship when the main building, built in 1845 and of which only the tower survives, was destroyed by fire in 1955.[3]

History

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The church opened as St. George the Martyr Anglican Church on November 9, 1845, on land donated by the Boulton family (who lived in The Grange). It was the third Anglican parish in the city, after St. James's and Trinity. The Gothic Revival style church with 150-foot spire was designed by Henry Bowyer Lane.[3] The parish hall (now the church's place of worship) was constructed in 1857 by Kivas Tully and the rectory was constructed in 1865 by Gundry & Langley.[4][5]

Around the turn of the 20th century, the demographics of downtown changed, affecting Anglican churches in the area. The parish merged with nearby St. Margaret's, Spadina, in 1909 but continued to worship at St. George's.[3]

The church was destroyed by fire on February 13, 1955. Only the tower survived. The cost of a new church was deemed too expensive, thus, the congregation worshipped in the rectory until, in 1957, the parish hall had been converted into a new place of worship.[3] The footprint of the former church is now a garden. In 1985, a two-story cloister was built encircling the former nave.[6]

In 2017, the church came under the pastoral care of nearby St. Paul's, Bloor Street. In 2018, and for the duration of its closure, the church changed its name to St. George by the Grange.[3] A new congregation planted by St. Paul's began worshipping at the church in September 2024.[7]

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See also

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to St. George the Martyr Anglican Church.

References

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  1. ^ http://sggp.church Retrieved 23 August 2024
  2. ^ "About St. George". St. George by the Grange. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Our History". St. George by the Grange. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
  4. ^ "St. George the Martyr Church School". Architectural Conservancy of Ontario. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
  5. ^ "Rectory of St. George the Martyr". Architectural Conservancy of Ontario. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
  6. ^ Taylor, John Doug. "St. George the Martyr, Anglican, destroyed by fire 1955". Historic Toronto. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
  7. ^ "St. George by the Grange". St. Paul's, Bloor Street. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
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