August 2025.
St. George’s Anglican Church is an example of the mid-Victorian Gothic Revival in Montreal, as opposed to the earlier and more sober (at least on the exterior) Notre-Dame Basilica and Christ Church Cathedral. Beyond its darker exterior, the interior has beautiful dark wood tracery and ceilings.
St. George’s is located at 1001 Avenue des Canadiens-de-Montreal in downtown Montreal, Quebec. It is bordered by Rue Peel and Place du Canada to the north, various skyscrapers to the south, Avenue des Canadiens-de-Montreal and Windsor Station to the east, and 1100 Rene-Levesque to the west.
History
Rendering of the 1843 St. George’s. (St. George’s website)
St. George’s was founded as a supplemental Anglican congregation, which accommodated an overflow of worshipers from Christ Church Cathedral. The first church opened in June 1843 on Rue Notre-Dame, just outside the city walls of Montreal. It seemed to be a simpler Gothic Revival design with a tall central bell tower.
Historic photo of the existing church’s exterior. (St. George’s website)
As the St. George’s congregation grew and Montreal expanded westward, the church’s current site was purchased, which was formerly a Jewish cemetery. St. George’s as it stands today was designed by Montreal architect William Tutin Thomas, who was inspired by English Gothic architecture of the 13th century. Its construction took place between 1869 and 1870, and the church opened that October. The church’s tower dates to 1894 and was designed by Montreal architect Alexander Francis Dunlop, who also designed St. James United Church.
St. George’s was threatened with demolition early in its lifetime, as it was planned to be replaced with a hotel in the 1910s, but these plans were shelved after the outbreak of World War I. The church has stood ever since, despite the demolition of its residential surroundings and their replacement with skyscrapers. It was listed as a National Historic Site of Canada in 1990. The exterior was restored in 2016 by EVOQ Architecture, though it seems more work was ongoing during my visit.
Photos
One thing I immediately noticed in my overall view of the church versus ones online is that the tower’s crenels and pinnacles are missing:
They are ostensibly in the plastic-wrapped packages out front. Aside from that, St. George’s is a good example of the more picturesque tendencies of Gothic Revival architecture. The rusticated stone facade recalls the worn stone of medieval Gothic structures, and the tower adds a touch of asymmetricality.
The tower features several buttresses and iron tracery, another hallmark of the Victorian Gothic Revival:
The north transept unusually ends in an octagonal projection, as a chapel or chapter house would:
Looking at the bulk of the church from the rear:
It really does look like a smaller Christ Church Cathedral with the crossing tower plucked off. Long, high nave, intermediate aisles, and transepts that are not in line height-wise with the rest of the church.
The east facade:
Also as in Christ Church Cathedral, a high glass skyscraper rises behind the facade. Recall that Gothic cathedrals’ height, which was extreme for the time, was meant to glorify God. It seems like we worship different gods today. (Sorry, couldn’t resist the melodramatic commentary.)
Anyways, the aisles and nave have buttresses with pinnacles on each edge, and the nave has a central rose window with English-style tracery. The sun hit the busy and picturesque church nicely:
What I found unusual is how the portal pierces the roofline of this little vestibule before the narthex:
This pointed arch has lots of Gothic ornament, and each recessed column has a unique capital. What an interesting area of the building.
The parapet and pinnacles of the roof--note the modern stone versus the worn masonry dating to the original building:
I liked this mosaic tile floor in the vestibule, which was made even more vibrant by the sunrise:
Portal inside and tympanum:
I was really blown away by this interior.
The wooden hammerbeam ceiling, aside from being rich in color and detail, is apparently the second-longest span for a ceiling of that style after Westminster Hall. An organ can be seen at left, while on the right is a smaller chapel. Here’s a better look at that awesome ceiling:
One of the beams supporting the ceiling, which projects from the wall by a small Corinthian column:
A stained-glass window, which despite its appearance dates to 1963 or later, based on the lifespans of the people who donated it:
This rood screen is absolutely boffo with tracery. The rich altar lies behind, along with three large stained-glass windows.
One of the transepts, which seems to feature a confessional:
More wooden screens separate this area from the nave. The aisle is separated by pointed arches, which are supported by squat columns with florid capitals. I think the vaulted ceiling is inspired by Sainte-Chapelle (as is Notre-Dame Basilica) based on its polychromy and golden ribs.
Looking back at the choir loft and more organ pipes:
Poorly framed view of the rose window:
I missed a fancy war memorial window by artist Charles William Kelsey, which dates to the 1920s or later. It features three angels holding shields that honor the Army, Navy, and Air Force, which respectively read:
“He will swallow up death in victory and the Lord God will wipe away all tears from all faces” (Isaiah 25:8)
“They that go down to the sea in ships, these see the works of the Lord and His wonders of the deep” (Psalm 107:23)
“Out of weakness made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens” (Hebrews II:34)
Sources:
https://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=12771&pid=0
https://www.st-georgeschurch.org/history
https://evoqarchitecture.com/en/projects/eglise-anglicane-saint-george
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