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St. John's Church figures prominently in the history of Ancaster and plays an important role in the history of the Anglican Church in Upper Canada, when for some years, it was the only Anglican parish and the first Anglican church building at the Head of the Lake (now the Hamilton-Wentworth Region). The first St. John's Church was built eight years after the arrival in Ancaster of the first resident Anglican priest, the Reverend Ralph Leeming, in 1816. Fifty-two years later the beautiful wooden building was destroyed by fire. A new stone building, the present structure, was begun almost immediately on the same commanding site, being completed in 1869. St. John's Church was designed by Fundry and Langley of Toronto, architects well know for their work in Gothic Revival style. By, the late 1860's, the Gothic Revival style with its emphasis on verticality, pointed arches and ornate carving, had become a pervasive ecclesiastic style for all denominations. St. John's Church is a simpler, stouter, more sober rendition of the Gothic, making it an early example of Late Gothic Revival. The most distinctive feature of the building's exterior is the square stone tower over the narthex. Variously fenestrated, the tower culminates in a crenellated wall with tall simple pointed finials on each corner. The stone walls of the church have stout buttresses and the side walls feature buttress-like chimneys. A string course marks the main floor of the church on this sloping site. In keeping with their early Gothic derivation, the windows and doors are small relative to the area of the wall. The window and door opening have pointed arches and are topped by projecting stone labels, which terminate in carved label stops. The window frames are made up of two symmetrical trefoil windows crowned with one quatrefoil light. The wooden narthex door is not exceptional but sports ornate wrought iron hinges. In addition, and without restricting the generality of the foregoing, the reasons for this Council designating the described premises include the intention that the whole of the exterior surfaces should be preserved in accordance with its original design, but this Council has no intention that any alterations, maintenance, repair, replacement or improvement of elements of the premises requires the prior written consent of this Council unless such affect the reasons for designation of the premises.

The reason for the designation is that the Old Town Hall is a fine vernacular Georgian stone building built in 1871, well preserved, and tactfully restored in the 1960s. This building, a landmark of the 19th century village, is much involved in the history of the locality and is a prized possession of one of the prettiest sections of the main street. Its image is used as the town symbol, and in addition, and without restricting the generality of the foregoing, the reasons for this Council making the designation include the reason that the following features of the Old Town Hall should be preserved, that is:

(a) the four facades of the building, and (b) the roof, eaves, return eaves and brackets, and (c) the chimney, and (d) the cupola, and (e) the porch, and (f) all wooden architectural elements, both interior and exterior, including the fenestration, and (g) the front and rear doors, and (h) the tongue and groove Italian-bead wainscoting, and (i) the base boards, and (j) the stage and its moulding, and (k) the window and door mouldings, and (l) the plaster architectural elements including the cove ceiling and plaster moulding, and

with no intention that any alteration, maintenance, repair, replacement or improvement of elements of the property should require the consent of the Council unless they affect the reasons for the designation of the Old Town Hall as described herein.

The Richard Hammill House, known municipally as 314 Wilson Street East, in the Town of Ancaster, being of historic and architectural value and interest, is a good example of a small frame gothic-revival village house of circa 1860. Situated on the southwest corner of Wilson and Church Streets adjacent to the Old Town Hall and opposite the Orton House, this pleasant building provides variety and contrast to the more imposing buildings and thus is crucial to the Wilson Street streetscape. Without restricting the generality of the foregoing the reasons for this Council designating the described premises include the intention that the following features of the described premises should be preserved, that is:

(a) the four facades of the building, and (b) the roof, center gable and bargeboards, and (c) all other original exterior wooden elements, including the fenestration with 6-over-6 sash, and the door and window trim (tapered with eared mouldings), but

Council has no intention that any alteration, maintenance, repair, replacement or improvement of elements of the premises requires the prior written consent of this Council unless such affect the reasons for the designation of the premises as described in paragraphs (a) to (c) herein.

The Building known municipally as 375 Wilson Street East in the Town of Ancaster, as being of historic and architectural value and interest, was built by George Brock Rousseau in the year 1848 and is an impressive, beautifully proportioned building having been constructed of well preserved Georgian stone with the exterior and significant interior features of the described premises being in their original condition which of course offers a splendid example of a substantial village house of the mid-nineteenth century. Without restricting the generality of the foregoing the reasons for this Council designating the described premises include the intention that the following features of the described premises should be preserved, that is:

(a) the east, north and south facades of the premises, and (b) the roof, eaves and brackets, and (c) the chimneys on the front exterior of the premises, and (d) all wooden architectural elements both interior and exterior of the premises, including the fenestration, and (e) the front door of the premises including all doors in the interior of the premises, and (f) the fireplaces and their immediate surroundings located in the interior of the premises, and (g) the front stairs and banisters located in the interior of the premises, but

Council has no intention that any alteration, maintenance, repair, replacement or improvement of elements of the premises requires the prior written consent of this Council unless such affect the reasons for the designation of the premises as described in paragraphs (a) to (g) herein.

The Richardson-Ashworth House, known municipally as 343 Wilson Street East, in the Town of Ancaster, being of historic and architectural value and interest, is a fine example of the Italianate style which corresponds to that of the Old Town Hall. Built in the 1860’s, it is set in spacious grounds with large trees, and its siting in a slightly raised position gives this quality house an imposing appearance, important to the Wilson Street streetscape. Historically, the house is of importance as having been the residence and office of several doctors. Without restricting the generality of the foregoing the reasons for this Council designating the described premises include theintention that the following features of the described premises should be preserved, that is:

(a) east, south and north facades (not including west extension), and (b) east doors and doorcases, including side and toplights, and (c) east, south and north fenestrations, including shutters, and (d) cornice on all four faces, and (e) roof, and chimneys in roof, and (f) view of house from Wilson Street (i.e. the present open space in front of the building), but

Council has no intention that any alteration, maintenance, repair, replacement or improvement of elements of the premises requires the prior written consent of this Council unless such affect the reasons for the designation of the premises as described in paragraphs (a) to (f) herein.

2 Old Town Hall310 Wilson Street East

3 Richard Hammill House314 Wilson Street East

1 St.John's Church272 Wilson Street East

4 Rousseau House375 Wilson Street East

5 Richard-Ashworth House343 Wilson Street East

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© Teranet Land Information Services Inc. and its licensors. [2005] May Not be Reproduced without Permission.

Source: City of Hamilton Community Planning and Design Section

Planning & Economic Development DepartmentLong Range Planning Division

Official Plan & Information Planning Section

Date Plotted: October 10, 2005

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Heritage Properties

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Kilometers Map of Hamilton

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