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St Mary's Cemetery

0, Lyons, Town of Oakville, Ontario, Canada

Formally Recognized: 1987/11/05

Of note are the individual grave markers.; Martha Fallis, 2008.
Grave Markers, St Mary's Cemetery, 2008
Of note is the park-like layout of St Mary's Cemetery.; Martha Fallis, 2008.
View, St Mary's Cemetery, 2008
Of note are the mature trees.; Martha Fallis, 2008.
View, St Mary's Cemetery, 2008

Other Name(s)

St Mary's Cemetery
South of the Lyons Lane

Links and documents

Construction Date(s)

Listed on the Canadian Register: 2010/01/27

Statement of Significance

Description of Historic Place

St Mary's Cemetery is located south of the intersection of Lyons Lane and South Service Road in the Town of Oakville. The forested cemetery began with the first burial in 1856.

The property was designated by the Town of Oakville in 1987 for its heritage value under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act (By-law 1987-295).

Heritage Value

St Mary's Cemetery is associated with the area's earliest pioneers. The land was donated by George K. Chisholm, the first mayor of the Town of Oakville. The cemetery contains many prominent Chisholm family members, the most prominent of which is Colonel William Chisholm, the founder of Oakville.

St Mary's Cemetery is a good example of 19th century cemetery design. It is characterized by a naturalistic setting to attract and comfort the living, the use of markers and monuments to perpetuate the memory of individuals and a park-like layout for public use. True to the original plan, gravesites are marked with separate individual markers. An interesting feature of a number of burial areas in the cemetery is the decorative wrought iron fencing delineating family plots.

Source: Town of Oakville, By-law 1987-295.

Character-Defining Elements

Character defining elements that contribute to the heritage value of St Mary's Cemetery include the:
- variety of styles, materials and symbolism represented in the markers and monuments
- the range of size and sophistication of markers and monuments, from modest to elaborate
- park-like layout including mature trees
- monuments
- individual grave markers with their surviving inscriptions
- wrought iron fencing around family plots

Recognition

Jurisdiction

Ontario

Recognition Authority

Local Governments (ON)

Recognition Statute

Ontario Heritage Act

Recognition Type

Municipal Heritage Designation (Part IV)

Recognition Date

1987/11/05

Historical Information

Significant Date(s)

1856/01/01 to 1856/01/01

Theme - Category and Type

Building Social and Community Life
Religious Institutions

Function - Category and Type

Current

Historic

Religion, Ritual and Funeral
Mortuary Site, Cemetery or Enclosure

Architect / Designer

n/a

Builder

n/a

Additional Information

Location of Supporting Documentation

Town of Oakville Planning Services 1225 Trafalgar Road Oakville, ON L6J 5A6

Cross-Reference to Collection

Fed/Prov/Terr Identifier

HPON09-0168

Status

Published

Related Places

n/a

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