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Auld Kirk

433 Charlotte Street, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada

Formally Recognized: 2009/09/28

The Kirk Apartments, formerly the Auld Kirk, moved to the north side of Charlotte Street in 1916; City of Fredericton
Auld Kirk, 433 Charlotte Street
The Auld Kirk, with its bell tower, stands on York Street after being moved in 1882 to make room for the new St. Paul's Presbyterian Church. The Auld Kirk is considerably smaller than the new church.  ; Provincial Archives of New Brunswick, George T. Taylor Collection, P5-307
St. Paul's Presbyterian Church and Auld Kirk
Image of the Kirk Apartments, showing the west façade of the former St. Paul's Presbyterian Church; City of Fredericton
433 Charlotte Street, side view

Other Name(s)

Auld Kirk
Kirk Apartments
Appartements Kirk

Links and documents

Construction Date(s)

1830/01/01

Listed on the Canadian Register: 2010/06/02

Statement of Significance

Description of Historic Place

When this building, the original St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church, was dedicated in 1830 it stood at the corner of George and York streets. Moved twice in its history, the Kirk Apartments, formerly known as the Auld Kirk, was relocated to the north side of Charlotte Street between York and Carleton streets in 1916. Since that time, it has been known as the Kirk Apartments.

Heritage Value

The heritage value of the Auld Kirk is associated with its original function as a Presbyterian Church. Mr. Fitzpatrick built the two-storey wood-frame church with a projecting tower based upon William Taylor’s design plans. The building was completed in 1830, and St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church was formally organized in 1832. To better serve and accommodate the congregation, the Kirk was enlarged around 1840. By 1881, the Church Trustees decided it was time to replace the Kirk with a new place of worship. With plans to build a new church, the original church building became known as the “Old Kirk,” or more commonly the “Auld Kirk.”

With the demands of a growing congregation, the Auld Kirk had been renovated and altered many times. The bell first placed in the original Kirk in 1832 was removed from the belfry and placed into the new St. Paul’s Church in 1885. Sometime after that, the tower had been removed from the Auld Kirk, greatly altering its appearance.

The Auld Kirk has the distinction of being the only building in Fredericton known to have been twice moved. To make room for the construction of the new St. Paul’s Church, the Auld Kirk was moved to the rear of the lot. The church originally fronted on George Street and, in May 1882, William Price moved the Auld Kirk to its new location on York Street. The Auld Kirk served as a Sunday School in connection with St. Paul’s Church for the next 34 years. A bequeath from the Donald Fraser estate in 1916 enabled St. Paul’s to replace the Auld Kirk with a new building. Rather than tear down the Auld Kirk, which had been considered, the building was sold and moved to its current location.

With the removal of this building imminent, a farewell service was held in the Auld Kirk on May 28, 1916. The removal of this structure from York Street to Charlotte Street was the most substantial undertaking in Fredericton’s history of building relocation. William Gough placed the Auld Kirk in position on Charlotte Street. Converted to an apartment building, the Auld Kirk became and still remains known as the Kirk Apartments.

Source: City of Fredericton, Local Historic Places Files

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements identified with the Auld Kirk include:
- rectangular two-storey wood-frame construction;
- its situation upon Charlotte Street;
- low-pitched front-facing gable roof;
- triangular pediment along the veranda roof line;
- large, rectangular windows;
- two-storey, pillared veranda with balustrades;
- central entrance with rectangular transom and Roman arch fanlight;
- its former identity as both the Kirk and Auld Kirk.

Recognition

Jurisdiction

New Brunswick

Recognition Authority

Local Governments (NB)

Recognition Statute

Local Historic Places Program

Recognition Type

Municipal Register of Local Historic Places

Recognition Date

2009/09/28

Historical Information

Significant Date(s)

1882/01/01 to 1882/01/01
1916/01/01 to 1916/01/01

Theme - Category and Type

Building Social and Community Life
Religious Institutions
Expressing Intellectual and Cultural Life
Philosophy and Spirituality
Expressing Intellectual and Cultural Life
Architecture and Design

Function - Category and Type

Current

Historic

Religion, Ritual and Funeral
Religious Facility or Place of Worship
Residence
Multiple Dwelling

Architect / Designer

n/a

Builder

n/a

Additional Information

Location of Supporting Documentation

City of Fredericton, Local Historic Places Files, "433 Church Street, Kirk Apartments"

Cross-Reference to Collection

Fed/Prov/Terr Identifier

2088

Status

Published

Related Places

n/a

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