All Saints Church

All Saints Church - Clifton

Original Grant:

David. B. Wetmore

History and Style:

Before All Saints was finished in 1885, many Anglicans in Clifton traveled across the river to Gondola Point to attend church at St. Luke’s. After 1863, people were able to attend church in the new Masonic Hall, but the need for a church persisted. Eventually, a committee was formed by R. W. Wetmore, G. Hudson Flewelling, D. P. Wetmore, and W. Hawksley Merritt to build a church for the people of Clifton. Land was donated by D. P. Wetmore near the “Sugarloaf” for the erection of the church. The church was designed by William Critchlow Harris, a prominent Charlottetown architect and child of the Catholic Revival in Anglicanism. It is constructed in the Carpenter Gothic style with beautiful detail inside and out. As with all of Harris’ designs, ornamentation rarely appears without function and this church is no exception. Being beautiful, yet practical and comfortable, All Saints Church has stood the test of time and remains in excellent form and condition. Immediately noticeable upon entering the church are the sturdy rafters constructed like the hull of a ship; a testament to the shipbuilding heritage of the Kennebecasis River. The beautifully carved trim was created by John and Jonas Howe and guides the eye to the spectacular Tudor Arch window above the altar with its geometric tracery and vivid stained glass. When the people of Clifton decided to build themselves a new church, they spared no expense and left a lasting legacy for future generations to cherish.