Saturday, June 27, 2015

inSPIREd Sunday


June 2015 - Toronto ON




Holy Trinity Church, located behind the Eaton Centre in Trinity Square Park is open to the public from 11-3 weekdays.
Map of Church of the Holy Trinity




You can read an interesting article about the church here along with historical photos around the area.

The modest Gothic Revival structure was built in 1847 by architect Henry Bowyer Lane, who also designed Little Trinity Anglican Church on King Street and St. George the Martyr Church in Toronto. The funds for its construction were a gift from Mary Lambert Swale of Settle, England. Swale had originally made the donation anonymously, but her name was eventually revealed. She had provided the gift with the stipulation that the church be open to the public, with no reserved pews.





Matthew, Mark, Luke and John




Strachan was a key figure in the Family Compact. Yet after the 1837 rebellion, he faced criticism over his affluent lifestyle and the church’s dominance. With the money, Strachan hired Henry Bowyer Lane to design the church, to be located in St. John’s Ward, on the site of an estate northwest of Yonge and Queen. Almost 50 years later, it was revealed that the mystery donation came from a young British woman named Mary Lambert Swale. Born to a family of wealthy bankers and lawyers, she married Hogarth Swale, a Yorkshire Anglican priest. Though they never visited Canada, the couple learned about Toronto from Strachan’s articles in an Anglican journal. Swale died in May, 1845, at the age of 25. The bequest had been part of her will, as was a similar gift to establish a place of worship for Australian convicts.












7 comments:

  1. I find it hard to believe but I have never been there! Will have to journey over one day.

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  2. A wonderful legacy to leave behind for her. I really have always loved seeing that church- anytime I'm in Toronto I'll stop in. It's like stepping back in time, being in the square, even with all that modernity and the city nearby.

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  3. What lovely windows and uncomfortable looking pews. Tom The Backroads Traveller

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  4. gorgeous!! not sure about those pews though??! not very comfortable, but cool design. ( :

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  5. What a fascinating church - some wonderful detail. And quite a legacy. I know Settle - was there yesterday, in fact.

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  6. A lovely church, I like the colour of the brick but those pews look like torture. No sleeping during the sermon here!

    Diana
    http://adifferentlenslens365.blogspot.co.nz/2015/06/mosgiel-gospel-hall.html

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