St. Mary's Anglican Church and Cemetery Municipal Heritage Site

St. Mary's Anglican Church and Cemetery Municipal Heritage Site has been designated because it has aesthetic and historic values.

St. Mary's Anglican Church has aesthetic value because it is a fine example of outport, vernacular interpretation of the Gothic Revival style of architecture. The steeply pitched gable roofs are set off through the use of carved crosses positioned at each peak. The Gothic arch windows have diamond shaped muntins that complement the arched doorway. Many of the interior features of the church are original and particularly notable is the scissor-braced roof truss, visible from inside, as are the exposed beams. The mortise and tenon solid joinery in the frame construction is also noteworthy.

The church has historic value because it was constructed by Allen and Robert Ryder, well-known and prolific builders of the Bonavista Peninsula area. It was partially paid for by a large donation from local merchants Robert and Arthur Tilley of Elliston. It is also one of the oldest buildings in Elliston, having been built around 1872 to 1875.

The churchyard cemetery has historic and aesthetic values in association with the church and in its own right. The headstones in the cemetery contain valuable historic information, and one commemorates prominent clergyman Canon A.G. Bayley. The more recent headstones are granite, while most of the older ones are white or grey marble, limestone, slate or wood. The cemetery grounds include historically popular cultivated plants such as columbine and forget-me-not amongst its natural topography. The churchyard has a white picket fence with an iron front gate, and a flagstone walkway lined by mature trees leads to the church’s front entrance. All these elements combine to contribute to the overall cultural landscape significance of the site.