Old Saint-Jacques Church Bell Monument
6, rue de l'École, Saint-Jacques, Edmundston, New Brunswick, E7B, Canada
Formally Recognized:
2006/01/30
Other Name(s)
n/a
Links and documents
n/a
Construction Date(s)
1992/01/01
Listed on the Canadian Register:
2006/03/20
Statement of Significance
Description of Historic Place
The Old Saint-Jacques Church Bell Monument contains the original bell cast in 1893 which was used in the original Saint-Jacques church to summon parisheners to church service. The monument was built in 1992 to commemorate the original church when the new Saint-Jacques church was built. The monument is located at the corner of Principal Street and École Street
Heritage Value
The heritage value of the Old Saint-Jacques Church Bell Monument as a Local Historic Place resides in the fact that this monument houses the first church bell used to summon local parishioners to the various religious services. The monument commemorates the first Saint-Jacques Church, in which the bell originally rang.
The heritage value of the Old Saint-Jacques Church Bell Monument also lies in its association with the bell's manufacturer. The bell was made by the McShane Bell Foundry in Maryland, U.S.A., the only bell foundry still operating in the United States today. The bell was cast in 1893, and from that year on, it graced the steeple of the first Saint-Jacques parish church, built in 1861. Bells made by the same company are found in several churches around New Brunswick, including Christ Church Cathedral in Fredericton, the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Saint John, St. James and St. John United Church in Miramichi, and Trinity Anglican Church in Saint John.
Source: Société Historique du Madawaska - site file: Old Saint-Jacques church bell monument
Character-Defining Elements
The character-defining elements of the old Saint-Jacques church bell monument include the following:
- current location at the corner of Principale and De l’École streets;
- the brick monument and the bronze bell it houses forming a single entity;
- various inscriptions on the brick the monument, including:
- inscription identifying the donor and "godmother" of the bell, Mme Maxime Guimond;
- inscription identifying the name of the bell as "Caroline", which is also the name of Mme Guimond's daughter;
- inscription of the date 1893, the year the bell was christened;
- inscription on the bell identifying the foundry, the year it was produced, where and when it was installed and bearing the foundry's mark.
Recognition
Jurisdiction
New Brunswick
Recognition Authority
Local Governments (NB)
Recognition Statute
Community Planning Act
Recognition Type
Local Register
Recognition Date
2006/01/30
Historical Information
Significant Date(s)
1893/01/01 to 1893/01/01
Theme - Category and Type
- Building Social and Community Life
- Religious Institutions
Function - Category and Type
Current
- Community
- Commemorative Monument
Historic
- Religion, Ritual and Funeral
- Religious Facility or Place of Worship
Architect / Designer
n/a
Builder
McShane Bell Foundry
Additional Information
Location of Supporting Documentation
Centre de documentation et d'études madawaskayennes
Cross-Reference to Collection
Fed/Prov/Terr Identifier
379
Status
Published
Related Places
n/a