London's Churches Face the Music

St. Paul's Cathedral

 You may have noticed a decline in religious attendance   this century. Either people don't have faith, they've   invented their own, they have no time, or they don't like   being told what to do. Or all of the above. 

 The problem with this from an architectural   preservationist's point of view is the number of empty   churches. Many are unused and deteriorating. Some have   been torn down already. And it's a sad loss because   ecclesiastical architecture is some of our best. You don't   have to be religious to recognize church buildings as   beautiful, awe-inspiring spaces. Without them, our cities   will be bland indeed. 

 Some churches have been repurposed for residential or   commercial use. Not everyone's happy about it. Some   Christians believe that a building, once consecrated, should   be used for worship only. They'd rather see a church torn   down than become condos. I'd argue that the "church" is its   people, not the building. Still, I can see the point of view.   I'm not happy when adaptive reuse means a former church is   unsympathetically altered. The way some churches are "rethought" is a little weird. 

How do we continue to use churches for the reason they were built, find a way to make them financially viable, and not destroy our architecture? The answer is increasingly to turn churches into concert facilities, either full or part-time. Churches are large venues, capable of seating crowds, and they often have acoustic systems installed already. A minimal amount of renovation can turn many into music centres.

An example: The oldest church building in London is St. Paul's Cathedral. (Every London should have a St. Paul's Cathedral.) Ours is the seat of the Diocese of Huron in the Anglican Church of  Canada. Designed in the Gothic Revival style by architect William Thomas, the building was dedicated February 25, 1846. Even if you're not religious, you should go inside. If you haven't, you're missing an architectural and historical treat. The interior reminds me of an old English church:

Postcard dated 1912 shows St. Paul's interior

In recent years, the congregation has dropped, what with fewer people living downtown and fewer people attending services. But now there's a new plan that will help the cathedral remain viable. It's going to be a "creative sector incubator," to "spur economic growth in the music sector, create a collaborative network involving music industry leaders, and help post-secondary graduates find employment in the industry."* If you don't know what that means, I'll bet you're not alone. I'm not sure what the end result will look like either. 

But Trinity Centres Foundation, a Montreal-based charity, will be developing a business plan in partnership with the cathedral and Diocese of Huron to be revealed later this year. The plan is supposed to keep the cathedral operational and help London keep its 2021 UNESCO City of Music designation.

This means the main sanctuary will be an "event space," which I hope won't change the sanctuary much, although they will be removing pews.** There will be dance, theatre and sound studios in the basement and offices with board rooms in the upper storeys and surrounding buildings. 

So long as the church doesn't change too much in appearance, especially on the exterior, I'm fine with this. I hope they don't remove all the pews; other seating is more comfortable but pews look so churchy.  And I hope the "creative sector" doesn't depart too much from traditional ethics. I'd prefer not to see exotic dancers in the transept. 

Bishop Cronyn 

Reading about all this made me think about other churches used as concert halls. One of them - for a while - was Bishop Cronyn Memorial Church. Consecrated on December 14, 1873 on the southeast corner of Queens Avenue and William Street, the church was built in memory of the first Bishop of Huron, Benjamin Cronyn, and designed by Toronto architect Henry Langley. This beautiful building with ivy-covered walls and original Victorian stained glass closed in 2015, another victim of declining church involvement.

For a while it looked like Bishop Cronyn would also serve a musical purpose. In 2016 it was leased to Aeolian Hall for seven years, mainly to be used by El Sistema, Aeolian's free musical education program for children aged 6 to 14. This should have provided a long-term use for the building.

Unfortunately, the Aeolian's lease was not renewed, their offer to buy was turned down, and the diocese has not been able to sell the building. The result? Aeolian has moved its program to First St. Andrews United Church and Bishop Cronyn is now fenced off and used as a homeless shelter.***

First St. Andrew's 

 OK, so all is not a loss here. El Sistema continues and   First St. Andrews benefits instead of Bishop Cronyn.   First St. Andrew's is also a majestic building, worthy of   preservation. A homeless shelter, greatly needed in   these changing times, is certainly within the purview of   the Christian church. I'd just like to see a different, more   permanent use for Bishop Cronyn. I suppose that  will be   in a different world, one with fewer homeless and more   funding. 

 A more successful project is that of Metropolitan   United  Church, on the southeast corner of Wellington   and Dufferin. Built in 1895 and originally known as   First Methodist Church, it replaced Queen's Avenue   Methodist which had burned down. The style is   Romanesque Revival.

 Major renovations took place here in the fall of 2022,   providing the sanctuary with a stage. Now the home of   London Symphonia, Chorus London, and London Youth   Symphony, the church is another building serving  the   Christian and music communities. The project received   one of the Lieutenant Governor's Ontario Heritage Awards in 2023 as well as a 2023 London Heritage Award for Adaptive Reuse. 

Metropolitan United

Of course, the church as concert hall concept isn't new and isn't confined to London or Canada. Thirty years ago, when I was living in a different London, I noticed the number of historic churches also in use as music venues. In London, UK there's a great appreciation for centuries-old churches. While the city centre has few residents, it does have office workers, and I remember it was common for them to attend a concert on their lunch breaks. For examples, see the websites of St. Bride's  or St. Mary le Strand where they list upcoming recitals. Then there's St. Martin-in-the-Fields which gave its name to the famous chamber orchestra. There's also the former St. John's, Smith Square, damaged during the war. Rebuilt but not reconsecrated, it's also a musical venue.

Mind you, in the other London they have tourists from all over the world drop in to admire the history and architecture - and make small donations. And facilities like the macabre Café in the Crypt at St. Martin's are great for hungry sightseers. London, Ontario doesn't have these advantages - yet. But why not have a restaurant in the basement of Metropolitan, with a jazz ensemble to entertain on weekday noon hours? I can just picture the folks across the street at City Hall arriving in droves.

But certain questions come to mind: How many music venues does London need? Will the churches be remodelled tastefully? Can the concept be carried over into smaller churches in rural areas? Of one thing I'm certain - without these buildings, we will be poorer, both spiritually and architecturally.

* Quotes from here: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/proposed-plan-brings-new-purpose-for-london-s-oldest-cathedral-creative-incubator-1.7036203 

**https://lfpress.com/news/local-news/diocese-foundation-eye-creative-hub-at-st-pauls-cathedral

*** Personal communication, Clark Bryan, July 19. 2024.

My Top 10 Favourite London, Ontario Buildings

There are many interesting buildings in London but these are my favourites:

1. The Old Courthouse

At the top of my list is the Old Courthouse, the oldest, most historic building in Middlesex County. The building has, of course, changed a great deal since being completed about 1831. The jail was added in 1844 and major additions were added to the main building in 1878 and 1911. Despite the various additions and renovations, no other building in London - or the county, for that matter - has so much history. Prisoners were kept in the basement "dungeon" before the jail was built, there were numerous hangings here (the earliest in public), and the famous Donnelly trial took place in the upstairs council chamber. London's "castle," based on Malahide Castle near Dublin, is the historic heart of London-Middlesex. 

Update, November 2019: The building now belongs to York Developments. The developer has promised to protect the heritage value when designing a "mixed use" project. But should a National Historic Site of Canada be in private hands? 

2. Aeolian Hall

Built in 1883-84, the building at Dundas and Rectory began life as London East Town Hall. The following year, 1885, London East was annexed by the City of London, making the building redundant. An excellent example of adaptive reuse, it has served many purposes over the years including a grocery store, cigar factory, pool room, the City Welfare Department, and London's first branch library. It is now refurbished as a concert hall, providing excellent acoustics - and a great deal more atmosphere for concert goers than Centennial Hall.

3. Eldon House

London's oldest surviving house was built in 1834 by John Harris, treasurer of the London District. For many years Eldon House was the centre of London high society as young officers from the garrison courted the five Harris daughters and Col. Thomas Talbot dropped in from time to time. Three descendants of Harris - George, Robin and Lucy - donated the house, its contents and grounds to the City of London in 1960 to be used as a museum. It's still a great place to tour or attend a lecture about local history. Be sure to go one of their occasional Behind the Ropes Tours in which visitors get to see parts of the house not usually open to the public, including the rather creepy basement which may have belonged to an even earlier house.

4. Fugitive Slave Chapel
Unlike some other buildings on my list, this one's not (yet) beautiful. The African Methodist Episcopal Church, or "Fugitive Slave Chapel," was built by London's fugitive slave community about 1848. Besides being a church, it was a centre of abolitionist activities, and John Brown may have addressed a meeting here to solicit support for the movement that led to the raid on Harper's Ferry in 1859. Eventually, the congregation built a new church at 430 Grey Street and the old building became a home. After it was threatened by demolition, the folks in the Fugitive Slave Chapel Preservation Project moved the building to its present site beside its daughter church on Grey Street.

Update, March 2021: This is what the Fugitive Slave Chapel looks like now. Not exactly progress, is it? Wrapped in plastic, the building is vulnerable to the elements and further deterioration. There are a lot of reasons for this, including church financial issues and - dare I say it? - a personality clash on the restoration committee. The current pastor insists the project is back on track. No sign of it. 

 

Update, 2022: Current word is that the Chapel will be moved to Fanshawe Pioneer Village. That, of course, will require more funding.

5. St. Paul’s Cathedral

The first frame St. Paul's opened in 1834 but was destroyed in a fire ten years later. The new building, now London’s oldest church, opened for worship in 1846. Toronto architect William Thomas, who also designed Brock's Monument at Queenston, created the new structure in the Gothic Revival style with a large tower at the west end and lots of pinnacles. A great many of us enjoy the gargoyles and other faces. Inside,  visitors can find beautiful stained glass windows, including two signed by Tiffany. And when there's no service or concert taking place, the atmosphere is that of an old English country church - peaceful and timeless.

6. Dominion Public Building
A completely different world right across from St. Paul's. London's tallest building when it was erected in 1936, the Dominion Public Building was built during the Depression to help provide employment for London workers. It's often considered one of the finest examples of Art Deco architecture in Canada.  

7. Normal School
The imposing High Victorian building on Elmwood Avenue in Wortley Village was completed in 1900 as a normal school or teacher's college, the third such institution in Ontario. Dominating the structure is a fabulous open bell tower with arches. Currently being renovated to become the YMCA Youth Centre of Excellence, the building promises to be an educational centre for many years to come.

8. Wright Lithographing

The company called Wright Lithographing was established in 1905 by John and George wright, originally on the east side of Wellington north of York. John, an engraver, and George, a lithographer, printed such diverse items as milk tickets, cigar bands, and limited edition lithograph prints. The building that today bears their name was built as a creamery but was purchased by London Life in 1906 to become the insurance company's new head office. It was London Life that added the third floor. The Wrights purchased the building in 1927 when London Life built its current headquarters. Interesting details on the building include this classical porch, unfortunately beginning to crumble. 

Update, March 2021: Now vacant for over a decade, the Farhi-owned building is in poor condition, the clock over the door removed for "repair" and its lower windows boarded up to prevent illegal entry. 

Update, November 2021: The clock has been replaced, along with the letters. But still no plans for reuse.

9. Ridout Street Restoration
I'm cheating here, because this is more than one building. At far left there's the two-storey white brick constructed to house a branch of the Bank of Upper Canada in 1836. It's said to be London's second brick building, the first being the Old Courthouse. Then there's the three-storey white brick terrace built in 1847, which, in its early years, also housed banks such as the Gore Bank. The carriageway is now enclosed by a door. The buildings look firm and solid, as banks should be. Next is Dr. Alexander Anderson's "Walmington House" which he used as an office and residence. Altogether, this row gives us an idea of what an Upper Canadian streetscape would have looked like. Except, of course, for the Farhi signs.

Update: The southernmost of the buildings burned in September 2018. Its restoration - if there is one - proceeds at a snail's pace under the ownership of Farhi Holdings. Now, in June 2021, London City Council has voted to rezone this property so Farhi can build a 40-storey skyscraper on site. See here to learn why that's a bad idea.

10. Covent Garden

I add this in case readers think I never like new buildings. Not so. I like stylish modern buildings that fit nicely into their location and are an improvement over whatever was demolished to build them. Since the earlier Covent Garden was looking rather tired, the new one, which opened in 1999, was sorely needed. Not only is it reminiscent of the building Paul Peel painted in 1883, but the space out front is suggestive of the open-air market founded in 1835. This is still one of downtown London's most appealing attractions.