St. Paul’s Anglican Church 

77 King Street 

Delta, Ontario 

 Statement of Significance

Description of Historic Place 

St. Paul’s Anglican Church consists of a single-story, white fieldstone structure, now covered with stucco. It has stained glass windows and a tower and is located at 77 King St. in the Village of Delta. St. Paul’s Anglican Church was initially used as a Baptist Church at the time of its completion in 1811 and served as a place of worship for several different congregations in Delta for over 200 years. St. Paul’s Anglican Church is reputed to be one of the oldest surviving, continuously used, churches in Canada. 

The Township of Bastard and South Burgess recognized St. Paul’s Anglican Church for its heritage values in By-Law 466. 

Heritage Value 

St. Paul’s Anglican Church is associated with one of the earliest residents of Delta, Elder Abel James Stevens Senior. Elder Stevens was one of the first settlers in Delta in 1796, as evidenced by the original name of Stevenstown given to the area. Following the Revolutionary War, Stevens emigrated from Vermont to the area and is reputed to have been the founder of the community. In 1811, Stevens called a meeting to discuss the building of a much-needed Baptist Church in Delta. Construction of the church, which would later become the St. Paul’s Anglican Church, began in 1811 under Stevens’ supervision. The historical and cultural value of St. Paul’s Anglican Church lies in its tenure as one of the oldest churches in Canada and as a site, which has acted as a place of worship for three different religious congregations at one time. 

At the time of its completion the Church was initially used as a Baptist Church. During this time, The Anglican Church had appointed a missionary to serve the needs of the area. In 1827 the structure was purchased by the Honourable and Right Reverend C. J. Stewart, Anglican Bishop of Quebec, and in a rare example of early ecumenicalism, both congregations shared the building. Between 1843 and 1862 the Methodist congregation also used the church as their place of worship. In 1864, the Baptists sold their shares in the church and left to worship in their new church in Philipsville (they later built their own church in Delta). At this point, the Anglican congregation became the sole users of the church and named it St. Paul’s Anglican Church. 

St. Paul’s history of shared use between multiple congregations tells the story of Delta’s early religious history. Through the years, St. Paul’s has been a focal place in the community, and not just for those who gather to worship on Sunday mornings. Whether it is the anxious groom waiting for his bride, the young parents with their infant waiting to be baptized, or the family being comforted by friends and loved ones, St. Paul’s has provided a warm and welcoming venue for community fellowship, where the Grace of God and the love of neighbours and friends have touched people’s hearts and minds in profound and life-giving ways. 

Character-Defining Elements  

St. Paul’s Anglican Church is a typical example of early ecclesiastical architecture in Upper Canada. Built of fieldstone and parged with stucco the layout of this early structure was a simple rectilinear plan with the front gable end punctuated by the central tower and steeple. Balanced by flanking gothic windows, the front double door entrance has a gothic transom and a smaller gothic window centred above. 

Character defining elements that reflect the heritage value of St. Paul’s Anglican Church include the: 

- stucco covered fieldstone exterior 

- medium-pitched gable roof with metal sheathing 

- projecting verges with returned eaves 

- pinnacle at each corner of the tower 

- single brick chimney 

- stained-glass Gothic style windows on the front façade and sides of the structure 

- four Gothic style openings at the top of the tower 

- circular date stone on the tower 

- stained-glass transom above the front door 

Local people still make reference to the “legend of the bell” of St. Paul’s. The late Chief Justice John Beverly Robinson donated the bell, manufactured in 1826, to St. Paul’s on the condition that the village be named “Beverly” in recognition of his generosity and as a memorial. So, in 1826, the village of Stone Mills was renamed “Beverly” in his honour and remained that way until 1856 when it was re-christened Delta. As for the bell itself, legend has it that local pranksters made off with the bell before the parishioners even had a chance to place it in the tower of the church. Luckily, the bell was recovered a short time later and although a small piece had been broken off its rim, it still rang true. The bell is still in the tower and is used to celebrate weddings, days of remembrance, and special occasions.