05. St. Mary’s Anglican Church

by

St. Mary’s Anglican Church – 134 River St

St. Mary’s Anglican Church, one of the oldest surviving buildings in Sunderland, was constructed in the spring of 1874. The red bricks came from the Cannington brickyard and were supplied by William Wetherall and John Wakelin. The masonry work was carried out by William Bacon, Charles Spearin and Mr. Reed.

A rectory for the parish was located nearby at the northeast corner of Church Street South and Jones Street. The land was donated by James Doble, a local banker who owned a number of building lots in Sunderland. The rectory housed Anglican ministers until about 1942.

The Sunderland congregation was part of a larger Anglican charge in which one minister served several churches in the surrounding communities. At various times, the charge included St. Mary’s in Sunderland, All Saints in Cannington, St. James in West Brock and the Anglican church in Beaverton.

The former rectory was sold about 1990, with the proceeds helping to fund a new parish hall addition behind St. Mary’s. The new hall, which included a kitchen, washrooms and full basement, officially opened on April 26, 1990.

By the early 2000s, the congregation had become too small to continue supporting the church. St. Mary’s closed about 2003, after nearly 130 years of service, and the property was subsequently sold by the Anglican Synod.

The cemetery associated with St. Mary’s is Thompson Cemetery, located west of Sunderland along River Street/Concession 6 near Durham Road 23.