Located at 150 Crock’s Point Road, Bright, in York County, All Saints Anglican Church is a quintessential example of Gothic Revival architecture crafted from wood. Nestled in a rural setting, this church stands as the first in New Brunswick to be designed by Rev. Edward S. Medley. Its consecration took place in 1862 under the authority of his father, Bishop John Medley.
The historical significance of All Saints’ is partially derived from its association with the architectural vision of Rev. Edward S. Medley and his father. Both were proponents of the Gothic Revival style in New Brunswick, seeking to advance the Anglican Church’s mission through their designs. Edward Medley continued his architectural journey, designing three other Anglican churches in New Brunswick.
Built in 1861, around the time of Canadian Confederation, All Saints Anglican Church Bright embodies the 19th-century “Carpenter Gothic” style through its intricate interior and exterior details. The church serves as a testament to how formal British Neo-Gothic theory, as developed by the English Ecclesiological Society, was applied in the design and construction of a vernacular wooden church in the colonies. Edward Medley, influenced by his father’s passion for the Gothic Revival, studied High Victorian Gothic architecture for three years in London under the tutelage of William Butterfield, a renowned English Gothicist.
This aisleless church is build on a rectangular plan with an entrance porch extension on one side, featuring a camber-beam supporting the cross-shaped framing. A sacristy projects from the other side, and there is a refined bell- turret perched above the west end. Simple bargeboards are applied to the gable ends. The main gable is supported by vertical posts that also form a covered baptistry at the west end. The building’s liturgical settling is defined by the interior furniture and furnishings, such as the English encaustic tiles which embellish the chancel floor, the pulpit, benches, font, lectern and altar, all original, built in butternut and displaying elaborate Gothic motifs. In terms of its significance architecturally, All Saints’ is a New Brunswick treasure.
The church, devoid of aisles, is built on a rectangular plan. An entrance porch extension is found on one side, highlighted by a camber-beam that supports the cross-shaped framing. On the opposite side, a sacristy extends outwards. Above the west end of the church, a delicately crafted bell-turret is perched. The gable ends are adorned with simple bargeboards, while vertical posts support the main gable and also form a covered baptistry at the west end. The church’s liturgical ambiance is dictated by its original interior fixtures and furnishings, including English encaustic tiles adorning the chancel floor, the pulpit, benches, font, lectern, and altar. These elements are made from butternut wood, showcasing intricate Gothic motifs. Architecturally, All Saints’ is a gem within New Brunswick.
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