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PART TWO
The chapel is still
owned by the Anglican Church of Canada. The
interior, like the exterior, has remained
essentially unaltered in 94 years. As a result it
remains one of the best examples of early church
architecture that this city has. The few changes
that have been made are in complete harmony with
the rest of the chapel. The Algoma Missionary News
in 1939, recorded that a new "altar with beautiful
hangings, the altar rails, the handsome panelling
around the walls of the sanctuary, and the new
hardwood floor, have been given by friends of the
late Miss Batterell." These have been the only
major changes except for the installation of
electricity and a furnace. The hardwood floor has
also been tiled.
ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION
In 1883 the "Algoma
Missionary News and Shingwauk journal" described
the Bishop Fauquier Memorial Chapel as "something
very unique." The description is even more
applicable today, as the school it was once meant
to be part of, has been destroyed. The construction
of a new road just outside its door has removed the
chapel from its remote setting facing the building,
to become part of the contemporary street-scape.
Also, the unique combination of architectural
elements has left us with a chapel that is quite
unique in Ontario, maybe even in Canada.
The chapel sits on
the edge of the Algoma College grounds, very close
to the street. Queen Street runs in an east-west
direction while the chapel is turned at a
north/east - south/west angle that creates an odd
tension between the two. The front facade as a
result is turned towards the street, and the effect
of this tension is to heighten the visual presence
of the building. Surrounded by trees on the
otherwise treeless lawn of the college, the
Memorial Chapel is one of the most picturesque
buildings in the city.
The chapel is built
of red sandstone that is said to have been obtained
from the neighbouring fields. The stone composition
consists of randomly placed uncut fieldstone and
mortar. The chapel is designed in an odd
combination of Gothic and Tudor styles, where the
walls are divided into squares and triangles by
wooden beams built directly into the wall. The
stonework on all sides are built in this way. The
chapel has a projecting vestibule on the main west
facade with a step gable roof. The east wall has
three bays while the west main entrance has only
one. The side walls have three lancet windows, one
in each bay, decorated with double lancet tracery
and stained glass. The main chapel is also topped
by a high gable roof with three gable-type dormers
on each side. On the peak of the roof is a small
amount of iron cresting and a small open belfry
with a small four-sided spire. At the east end of
the south wall is a projecting side entrance to the
vestry. It is topped by a gable roof, the gable
ends facing the same direction as the main roof. On
the north wall at the west end is a small stone
shed-like structure with an entrance to the
basement. The roof is very low and does not come up
above the main floor level of the church.
The main entrance
to the church consists of a pointed arch doorway.
The architrave around the door is plain wood, as is
the arch. There is no stone decoration. The walkway
up to the door is quite interesting. From the
sidewalk several steps descend a small ridge, to a
short sidewalk below. This sidewalk and the steps
curve slightly towards the main steps of the
chapel. From this low sidewalk you must then climb
six steps to the main entrance. Above the pointed
arch of the doorway the black wooden beams form a
triangle in which is written "Bishop Fauquier
(1883) Memorial Chapel". Also attached to the wall
are two small lanterns. On the south side of this
projection is a small lancet window filled with
diamond shaped panes of glass. This is the only
window. The gable roof has projecting box cornice
eaves and the wooden beams in the wall form a plain
frieze. At the gable end of the main wall is a
large round window filled with wooden tracery and
stained glass. The tracery consists of three
"trefoil windows". The wall is topped by the same
type of projecting eaves.
![top](../../images/common/a_top.jpg)
The north wall of
the chapel has three bays with a lancet window in
each bay. These windows tend towards the south end
as the altar end of the church has no windows and
the space where another window might have been, has
been filled with stone. The black wooden beams
highlight each window surrounding it with various
triangle shapes. The windows have double lancet
tracery. The outer windows are composed of small
diamond shaped panes of glass with small
rectangular panes around the edges. Each pane of
glass is decorated with a small cross. The inner
windows are stained glass. Between the second and
third bay is a projecting stone chimney. It has a
single stack and once it rises above the roof it is
built of brick. On the roof, above each bay is a
small dormer with a gable roof. The gable face is
painted white and has a round window in each one.
The window has a multi-foil stained glass
decoration. This means that the window looks
something like a five petal flower. The eaves of
each dormer project and are the boxed corniced
type. At the peak of each roof is a small turned
wooden finial that drops over the face of the gable
end.
The east, or altar
wall of the church has three window bays. The
central bay has a large gothic stained glass window
above the altar. It has thin double lancet tracery
but it is not as pronounced as in the side windows.
The architrave around the window is plain wood and
there is no stone decoration. On each side of the
altar window are two large stone buttresses that
extend about three quarters of the way up the wall.
To each side of the buttresses, well below the
level of the main altar window, is a small stained
glass lancet window with plain wooden
architrave.
The south wall of
the chapel is decorated in the same manner as the
north wall with three lancet windows and gable
dormers in each bay. On the east side of this wall
is the projecting vestry and the small side
entrance. The doorway is on the west side of this
section, facing in the same direction as the main
entrance, and is approached by two or three stone
steps. The doorway is a tall thin gothic arch. The
door is made of light coloured wood and has three
panels. It is surrounded by a plain wooden
architrave. On the south side is a small lancet
window in the same design as the others. It is the
only window on this section. The vestry is topped
by a gable roof with box cornice eaves. It does not
extend all the way back on the east wall. The high
gable roof has asphalt tiles and has boxed cornice
eaves. Originally there was iron cresting extending
all along the peak of the roof but most of this has
been removed; only two small iron crosses at each
end of the chapel remain. The small open belfry
consists of four turned wooden posts supporting a
four sided spire. Each post rests on its own square
base projecting from the roof. There is a small
bell in the belfry.
The interior of the
chapel is superb and it would not be
underestimating its value to say that almost every
square inch should be protected by the city. Upon
entering the vestibule, there is a beautiful
stained glass lancet window on the right side.
Immediately in front is a large gothic arched
doorway with a large oak door. The door has heavy
iron hinges, a large iron latch, and an iron ring
for a handle. The vestibule itself is oak panelled.
Once inside the chapel it would appear that the
description of the interior written in 1883, upon
the chapel's opening, had been written yesterday.
The chapel interior consists of three sections; the
pews for the congregation are on one level. A
single step up leads to the choir stalls, then
another two steps lead into the sanctuary. The
first thing that strikes your eye, is the same that
struck those when the chapel first opened, "the
front three arches dividing the nave from the
chancel". The large centre gothic arch is supported
on large wooden compound piers, or clumps of
pillars, painted white. There are two smaller piers
attached to each wall. There is a smaller gothic
arch over each side aisle. Arched braces support
the roof elements that cross, forming the arch,
about three feet below the peak of the roof. This
space above and all down the sides is filled with
fretwork; "the Dove with wings outspread, Alpha and
Omega, Jehovah Jireh in Hebrew, all carved in white
basswood".
![top](../../images/common/a_top.jpg)
The oak pews have
folding prayer boards and a holder along the top
edge of the next seat to place the prayer books.
The pews are beautifully carved and shaped with
round lines and gothic decorations. The stained
glass windows are beautiful and each one has
different coloured trim. The diamond shaped panes
are filled with small crosses. As the 1883
description states, "there is a carved text above
each window.' The glass in the dormer windows is
brightly coloured depicting floral forms. The other
roof elements consist of four arches spanning the
width of the chapel. There are two over the nave,
one on the east wall over the altar, and one built
against the west wall although it is broken by a
rounded stained glass window. Each roof element is
supported by a "compound pier" pilaster of which
there are a total of five along each wall. The
common rafter is exposed. Resting on the pier is an
arched brace that carries a straight rafter. This
straight rafter crosses with the one from the other
side, again, about three feet below the peak of the
gable roof. A king post joins the two beams to the
apex of the roof and a carved pendant hangs down
from the cross. The ceiling itself is decorated by
planks of oak slanted in different directions in an
alternating pattern.
In the main
sanctuary is the altar, added in 1939, and the
waist high panelling. Above the altar is a large
stained glass window with triple lancet tracery.
Like the others it has stained glass with floral
patterns. To each side is a smaller stained glass
lancet window. To the right of the steps, against
the wall, is the pulpit, decorated with gothic
motifs. The small set of stairs leading up to it
are pierced with small crosses and floral patterns.
There is also a large organ made by the Estey Organ
Company, and a wrought-iron lectern. The prayer
desk to the right is again beautifully carved with
gothic decorations. It has old red velvet cushions
and embroidered on the prayer stool is a large
fleur-de-lis. The door leading in from the side
entrance is oak panelled.
Another important
feature of the church is a large bible that sits on
the pulpit. It is bound in decorated calfskin and
has "The Bishop Fauquier Memorial Chapel" inscribed
on the front cover. It is dated 1883 and was
presented by the "Society for the Propagation of
the Gospel" in England, to the chapel upon its
opening in 1883.
SIGNIFICANCE
The Bishop Fauquier
Memorial Chapel is one of the most unique examples
of church architecture in Sault Ste. Marie, and the
most beautifully preserved. Precious Blood
Cathedral, although older, has lost its original
interior by structural changes and interior
renovations. The Fauquier Chapel looks the same as
it did on the day it was opened, as we can read by
early descriptions. The interior should also be
rigidly protected. Everything seems to fit into its
proper place, and to be part of an overall pattern.
Even the small prayer books, although modern,
appear to have been made exactly for these pews.
The decorative motifs on the pulpit are found .
along the frieze that extends around the chapel.
Therefore, as far as it is possible, all furniture,
panelling, and internal structural elements should
be protected from all but the most necessary
change.
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