Saint John the Evangelist Anglican Cairn
Also known as Old Anglican Cemetery
Elora, Wellington County, Ontario, Canada
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Get directions 7441 Wellington Road #4 @ McNab St.
Elora, Wellington County, Ontario N0B 1S0 CanadaCoordinates: 43.67569, -80.43005 - Cemetery ID: 2329567
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There are 30 separate gravestones in this cairn, representing 40 individuals. Most of the stones are difficult to read, either due to missing portions or erosion.
The following is the only comprehensive description of the cairn that I could find. It is from Mrs. Roberta Allan's 1982 book, History of Elora.
"In 1830 William Reynolds offered land from his farm lot 1 conc. 1 in Pilkington Township. An Anglican Church was opened here for public worship. Beside the church was a cemetery where many early settlers were buried. The new Anglican Church was opened in Elora in 1875. The Elora Cemetery was opened in 1864. Many of the remains were removed to the new cemetery. The old cemetery grounds have been cleaned up, and the remaining stones and fragments were gathered together and built into a cairn by Norman Stafford. Most of the stones in the cairn were cut by G. Brown of Elora and J. Davidson of Guelph. They were beautifully carved and well preserved. They can be seen on all four sides of the cairn." [History of Elora, Mrs. Roberta Allan, 1982]
Further to this is this blurb from the OGS:
"In 1839, William Reynolds granted 4 acres of land from his farm for construction of an Anglican Church and burial ground. On the 24th September 1848 the Church of St. John the Evangelist and the burial ground were consecrated. Based on inscriptions on the headstones, cemetery burials began by
1840. The first interment in the burial ground recorded in the Parish Register was that of a child, Doris Jones, who was buried 25 May 1849. The last burial recorded in the Registers was that of John Buchanan, aged 65, who was buried 29 November 1883; all local burials thereafter were in the Elora Municipal Cemetery. In all, there were at least 232 burials based on those recorded in the Church Registers (217) and others that were listed on headstones that were either buried prior to the start of the Church Register (6) or were buried but not recorded in the Church Register (9) The Elora Municipal Cemetery opened in 1864. In 1867, the Parish negotiated for two blocks within the Elora Cemetery for the burial of Anglicans. In 1875, a new church building, of brick, was constructed at Henderson and Smith Streets in Elora and the following year the old church was dismantled. In 1940 following sale of adjoining lands, a cairn was built on one acre of the old churchyard incorporating the tombstones and fragments of stones that were found on the site.
In 2007, a three-stage archaeological assessment under the guidance of the Cemetery Registrar for Ontario was undertaken of the site which included removal of the topsoil the one acre site. The excavation revealed a total of 157 grave shafts as well as the location of the original church building. Although not part of the study, it is likely that other graves may be located on the adjacent property which had been sold in 1940 since many burial shafts were located along the boundary line. It was estimated that 85-90% of the bodies remain on the site.
In 2008, the cairn was relocated from the North-East corner to the South-East corner of the burial section and a green space created so that the burial ground was properly memorialized." [OGS]
Several businesses have since developed around the Cairn, causing the so-called "green space" to become much more commercial.
The following is the only comprehensive description of the cairn that I could find. It is from Mrs. Roberta Allan's 1982 book, History of Elora.
"In 1830 William Reynolds offered land from his farm lot 1 conc. 1 in Pilkington Township. An Anglican Church was opened here for public worship. Beside the church was a cemetery where many early settlers were buried. The new Anglican Church was opened in Elora in 1875. The Elora Cemetery was opened in 1864. Many of the remains were removed to the new cemetery. The old cemetery grounds have been cleaned up, and the remaining stones and fragments were gathered together and built into a cairn by Norman Stafford. Most of the stones in the cairn were cut by G. Brown of Elora and J. Davidson of Guelph. They were beautifully carved and well preserved. They can be seen on all four sides of the cairn." [History of Elora, Mrs. Roberta Allan, 1982]
Further to this is this blurb from the OGS:
"In 1839, William Reynolds granted 4 acres of land from his farm for construction of an Anglican Church and burial ground. On the 24th September 1848 the Church of St. John the Evangelist and the burial ground were consecrated. Based on inscriptions on the headstones, cemetery burials began by
1840. The first interment in the burial ground recorded in the Parish Register was that of a child, Doris Jones, who was buried 25 May 1849. The last burial recorded in the Registers was that of John Buchanan, aged 65, who was buried 29 November 1883; all local burials thereafter were in the Elora Municipal Cemetery. In all, there were at least 232 burials based on those recorded in the Church Registers (217) and others that were listed on headstones that were either buried prior to the start of the Church Register (6) or were buried but not recorded in the Church Register (9) The Elora Municipal Cemetery opened in 1864. In 1867, the Parish negotiated for two blocks within the Elora Cemetery for the burial of Anglicans. In 1875, a new church building, of brick, was constructed at Henderson and Smith Streets in Elora and the following year the old church was dismantled. In 1940 following sale of adjoining lands, a cairn was built on one acre of the old churchyard incorporating the tombstones and fragments of stones that were found on the site.
In 2007, a three-stage archaeological assessment under the guidance of the Cemetery Registrar for Ontario was undertaken of the site which included removal of the topsoil the one acre site. The excavation revealed a total of 157 grave shafts as well as the location of the original church building. Although not part of the study, it is likely that other graves may be located on the adjacent property which had been sold in 1940 since many burial shafts were located along the boundary line. It was estimated that 85-90% of the bodies remain on the site.
In 2008, the cairn was relocated from the North-East corner to the South-East corner of the burial section and a green space created so that the burial ground was properly memorialized." [OGS]
Several businesses have since developed around the Cairn, causing the so-called "green space" to become much more commercial.
There are 30 separate gravestones in this cairn, representing 40 individuals. Most of the stones are difficult to read, either due to missing portions or erosion.
The following is the only comprehensive description of the cairn that I could find. It is from Mrs. Roberta Allan's 1982 book, History of Elora.
"In 1830 William Reynolds offered land from his farm lot 1 conc. 1 in Pilkington Township. An Anglican Church was opened here for public worship. Beside the church was a cemetery where many early settlers were buried. The new Anglican Church was opened in Elora in 1875. The Elora Cemetery was opened in 1864. Many of the remains were removed to the new cemetery. The old cemetery grounds have been cleaned up, and the remaining stones and fragments were gathered together and built into a cairn by Norman Stafford. Most of the stones in the cairn were cut by G. Brown of Elora and J. Davidson of Guelph. They were beautifully carved and well preserved. They can be seen on all four sides of the cairn." [History of Elora, Mrs. Roberta Allan, 1982]
Further to this is this blurb from the OGS:
"In 1839, William Reynolds granted 4 acres of land from his farm for construction of an Anglican Church and burial ground. On the 24th September 1848 the Church of St. John the Evangelist and the burial ground were consecrated. Based on inscriptions on the headstones, cemetery burials began by
1840. The first interment in the burial ground recorded in the Parish Register was that of a child, Doris Jones, who was buried 25 May 1849. The last burial recorded in the Registers was that of John Buchanan, aged 65, who was buried 29 November 1883; all local burials thereafter were in the Elora Municipal Cemetery. In all, there were at least 232 burials based on those recorded in the Church Registers (217) and others that were listed on headstones that were either buried prior to the start of the Church Register (6) or were buried but not recorded in the Church Register (9) The Elora Municipal Cemetery opened in 1864. In 1867, the Parish negotiated for two blocks within the Elora Cemetery for the burial of Anglicans. In 1875, a new church building, of brick, was constructed at Henderson and Smith Streets in Elora and the following year the old church was dismantled. In 1940 following sale of adjoining lands, a cairn was built on one acre of the old churchyard incorporating the tombstones and fragments of stones that were found on the site.
In 2007, a three-stage archaeological assessment under the guidance of the Cemetery Registrar for Ontario was undertaken of the site which included removal of the topsoil the one acre site. The excavation revealed a total of 157 grave shafts as well as the location of the original church building. Although not part of the study, it is likely that other graves may be located on the adjacent property which had been sold in 1940 since many burial shafts were located along the boundary line. It was estimated that 85-90% of the bodies remain on the site.
In 2008, the cairn was relocated from the North-East corner to the South-East corner of the burial section and a green space created so that the burial ground was properly memorialized." [OGS]
Several businesses have since developed around the Cairn, causing the so-called "green space" to become much more commercial.
The following is the only comprehensive description of the cairn that I could find. It is from Mrs. Roberta Allan's 1982 book, History of Elora.
"In 1830 William Reynolds offered land from his farm lot 1 conc. 1 in Pilkington Township. An Anglican Church was opened here for public worship. Beside the church was a cemetery where many early settlers were buried. The new Anglican Church was opened in Elora in 1875. The Elora Cemetery was opened in 1864. Many of the remains were removed to the new cemetery. The old cemetery grounds have been cleaned up, and the remaining stones and fragments were gathered together and built into a cairn by Norman Stafford. Most of the stones in the cairn were cut by G. Brown of Elora and J. Davidson of Guelph. They were beautifully carved and well preserved. They can be seen on all four sides of the cairn." [History of Elora, Mrs. Roberta Allan, 1982]
Further to this is this blurb from the OGS:
"In 1839, William Reynolds granted 4 acres of land from his farm for construction of an Anglican Church and burial ground. On the 24th September 1848 the Church of St. John the Evangelist and the burial ground were consecrated. Based on inscriptions on the headstones, cemetery burials began by
1840. The first interment in the burial ground recorded in the Parish Register was that of a child, Doris Jones, who was buried 25 May 1849. The last burial recorded in the Registers was that of John Buchanan, aged 65, who was buried 29 November 1883; all local burials thereafter were in the Elora Municipal Cemetery. In all, there were at least 232 burials based on those recorded in the Church Registers (217) and others that were listed on headstones that were either buried prior to the start of the Church Register (6) or were buried but not recorded in the Church Register (9) The Elora Municipal Cemetery opened in 1864. In 1867, the Parish negotiated for two blocks within the Elora Cemetery for the burial of Anglicans. In 1875, a new church building, of brick, was constructed at Henderson and Smith Streets in Elora and the following year the old church was dismantled. In 1940 following sale of adjoining lands, a cairn was built on one acre of the old churchyard incorporating the tombstones and fragments of stones that were found on the site.
In 2007, a three-stage archaeological assessment under the guidance of the Cemetery Registrar for Ontario was undertaken of the site which included removal of the topsoil the one acre site. The excavation revealed a total of 157 grave shafts as well as the location of the original church building. Although not part of the study, it is likely that other graves may be located on the adjacent property which had been sold in 1940 since many burial shafts were located along the boundary line. It was estimated that 85-90% of the bodies remain on the site.
In 2008, the cairn was relocated from the North-East corner to the South-East corner of the burial section and a green space created so that the burial ground was properly memorialized." [OGS]
Several businesses have since developed around the Cairn, causing the so-called "green space" to become much more commercial.
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- Added: 31 Oct 2009
- Find a Grave Cemetery ID: 2329567
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