Description of Historic Place

The Sandy Cove United Baptist Church sits high above the hamlet of Sandy Cove on Digby Neck, overlooking the community. The church is a wooden church with interior galleries, a central projecting tower, and Greek Revival elements. Both the church and the surrounding property, including the cemetery, are part of the heritage designation.

Heritage Value

The heritage value of the Sandy Cove United Baptist Church is associated with its long-time pastor Reverend John Chipman Morse who was instrumental in the building of the church. The church was a collaborative effort between the local Baptist and Methodist congregations, opened in 1849. Reverend Morse was the first Baptist pastor of the church and he held that position for sixty-three years. He was honored as "Pastor Emeritus" and was elected to be Honorary Pastor for life and in 1892 he received the honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity. The church continues to function as a church in the Convention of Atlantic Baptist Churches.

Source: Built Heritage Inventory, Office of the Municipality of the District of Digby

Character-Defining Elements

The exterior character-defining elements of the Sandy Cove United Baptist Church include:
-form and massing;
-red and white striped steeple;
-large twelve-over-twelve windows;
-Gothic pointed arch window in the rear of the church.