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St. John's Parish Hall

St. John's Parish Hall

The original establishment, a five-bay, hipped roof structure with a central main door facing St. John's Church square, was built c. 1775 as the first Lunenburg Courthouse. By 1890, the Court House had become run down and the Chief Justice of the time declared he would not hold court unless the building was repaired. Eventually the building was condemned and it was decided that a new court house would be built. The building was vacated in 1893 when the Court moved to the newly built Town Hall at 119 Cumberland Street. In 1902 it was purchased by St. John’s Anglican Church for use as a Parish Hall. Subsequently, various alterations were made. The old dormer was removed, the main door was relocated and the building was lengthened on the south end. In 1964 a large addition, fashioned in the same style as the original, was made on the western side. The Parish Hall features hooded lancet windows, clapboard siding and wide dark green corner boards. To date, the Parish Hall structure has been relatively restored back to its original splendour. The interior bears a wall mural (oil on plaster) surrounded by a wooden frame depicting the Royal Coat of Arms of King George III. This coat of arms was used by the British Royal Family between 1801 and 1814. The marbleized pediment on which the coat of arms rests bears the inscription “Fiat Justitia Ruat Coelum” which translates to "Let justice be done though the heavens may fall". In the centre of the emblem is the motto "Evil be to him who evil thinks" and below that the royal motto "God and my right". It is widely assumed that this authoritative mural would have been located above the judge’s bench. Dating back to 1801, this mural is considered to be one to the oldest of its kind in the province. It was restored by Jennifer Mc Laughlin in 1998.

City: 
Lunenburg

Province:

Property Type:

Herititage Designation:

Reason(s) for Designation: 

Located in Old Town Lunenburg, NS, St. John's Parish Hall is valued for its long association with St. John's Anglican Church, its original use as Lunenburg's courthouse, its ties to the community and history of Lunenburg, and architecture. Formerly recongnized as a Municipal Heritage Property October 26th, 1989.

Public:

Details: 

The Parish hall hosts many cultural and community events such as the annual Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival.

Full Address: 
65 Cumberland Street Lunenburg Nova Scotia
Geographic Location: 

Latitude: 44.378 Longitude: -64.3124

Construction Details: 
Construction Date: 1775
Current Owner: 
Anglican Diocese of Nova Scotia