Registered Historic Place

St. Brigid's Old Roman Catholic Cemetery

Foxley River, Prince Edward Island

Sign on cemetery grounds

Sign on cemetery grounds

Photo: PEI Genealogical Society, George Sanborn Jr., 2009

Built
1866–1919
Recognized
2010
By
Province of Prince Edward Island

The register’s text, word for word

Description

This pioneer cemetery is located near the intersection of the Canadian Road (former road to the Walshtown Ferry) on Route 168 and Route 12 in Foxley River. The site extends along the northeastern bank of the Foxley River diagonally across the road from St. Brigid's Roman Catholic Church.

Heritage value

The cemetery is valued for its historical association with the early Irish and Scottish settlers of the area.

St. Brigid's Parish was established in 1876 to serve the growing needs of the Roman Catholic people of Lot 11. It was originally part of St. Anthony's Parish in Lot 5.

The cemetery dates from 1866 and contains stones detailing the names of many Irish settlers from King's (now County Offaly) and Queen's (now County Laois) counties in Ireland. These pioneers both Roman Catholic and Protestant were recruited to come to PEI by John Large on behalf of the proprietor of Lot 11.

The St. Brigid's Parish Church was constructed nearby from 1868 to 1873. It is a provincial registered heritage place. The church is now closed for regular services and only used during the summer months for special events. The cemetery's care and maintenance is completed by St. Anthony's Parish.

The cemetery was replaced by another nearby in 1919 and was only used for occasional burials. It is well maintained today and displays a new sign donated by the Knights of Columbus. It is an important cultural and genealogical resource in the area.

Source: Culture and Heritage Division, PEI Department of Tourism and Culture, Charlottetown, PE C1A 7N8

File #: 4310-20/P42

Character‑defining elements

The heritage value of the cemetery is shown in the following character-defining elements:

  • the location of the cemetery near the Foxley River and across from St. Brigid's Church
  • the various gravestones and their inscriptions
  • the sign identifying the site

End of the register’s text

Location

Canadian Road - Route 168, Foxley River, Prince Edward Island, Canada

46.69270° N, 64.01340° W

Get directions (opens in a new tab)

Being on the register doesn’t make a place open to visitors. Many are private homes or businesses; please view them from the street.

Loading map…

Nearby

Similar places

Places whose register descriptions are closest to this one.

From the Canadian Register of Historic Places, as last updated on December 12, 2025. The register’s text is shown word for word.