Newfoundland & Labrador's Registered Heritage Structures

Alphabetical Listing by Place Listing: A-B Listing: C-F Listing: G-K Listing: L-Q Listing: R-S Listing: T-Z Heritage Tours Supplementary Articles Gazetteer Applet

Built on the site of the oldest Catholic church in Newfoundland and successor to an 18th century Anglican, St Luke's has an ancient history. This church was built between 1906 and 1908 by the parishioners when their original church had become so dilapidated as to require demolition. The original church here was built by the Recollet friars in 1689 and was likely used by the Anglicans when they took over the settlement in 1713. When Prince William Henry, later King William IV, was stationed here in 1786, he gave money to build the old St. Luke's and presented the church with a silver communion service and a Coat of Arms. The Service is now housed at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in St. John's, but the Coat of Arms still hangs in the church.

© 2000 Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador (30Kb)

Now removed for preservation, there were once a number of 17th-century Basque tombstones in the graveyard that surrounded the church. They suggest that this may have been the site of an even earlier French chapel built in 1662. Located in the Town of Placentia's Historic Conservation Area, tourists are attracted each year to St. Luke's for its Basque grave sites and its links to King William IV.

St. Luke's was designated as Registered Heritage Structure in March 2000.