Description of Historic Place

St. Andrew's United Church is a large, Late Victorian style building located at a prominent intersection of the main thoroughfare in one of Nanaimo's oldest neighbourhoods. The historic place comprises the church, hall, manse and grounds.

Heritage Value

Still used as a church, St. Andrew's United Church represents the historic and continuing spiritual, social and cultural importance of the building to Nanaimo. In addition to church services, the building has long hosted community events such as concerts and festivals.

St. Andrew's United Church is significant because of its association with the historic national merger of the Methodist, Presbyterian and Congregational churches in 1925 and it speaks to the historic and continuing complex and often divisive religious issues that confront communities. In Nanaimo, the merger was controversial. A large proportion of Presbyterians voted against union and the subsequent legal battle over the division of property was the only union litigation case in British Columbia.

St. Andrew's United Church is significant because of its association with American architect Warren H. Hayes, a specialist in church design who is credited with the development of the diagonal form of auditorium. He designed a number of buildings throughout the United States including the Scottish Rite Temple in Minneapolis and Central Presbyterian Church in St. Paul, Minnesota and is known to have provided the plans for at least two churches in Canada.

Built in 1893, St. Andrew's United Church is a good example of Late Victorian church architecture. The church follows the square floor plan with second floor horseshoe gallery typical of Late Victorian Presbyterian churches, its original denomination. A large hall at the rear, built in 1927, features a two-storey auditorium with a balcony. The church retains much of its original character despite some later alterations, most notably a stucco finish over the original brick walls.

The manse, rock wall, landscaped grounds and attached hall all have a historic and physical relationship to the church and are an essential part of the site's value.

The church's tall bell tower and substantial mass dominate this corner of the main corridor of this neighbourhood and make the building a highly visible historic landmark.

Source: City of Nanaimo, Development Services Department, file #6800-20-H01-02/315 Fitzwilliam Street

Character-Defining Elements

Character-defining elements of St. Andrew's Church include:

-the continuing use as a church and hall.

-all of the elements of the Late Victorian style as expressed in the tall form and massing, picturesque roof line, bell and staircase towers, symmetrical cross-gable wall dormers and stained glass windows.

-the location at an intersection of the main street of one of Nanaimo's oldest neighbourhoods within a grouping of historic buildings.

-all of the components of the churchyard including the church, hall, manse, landscaped grounds and rock wall.