Mohawk Chapel

Her Majesty's Royal Chapel of the Mohawks is the oldest building in Ontario and the first Anglican church in Upper Canada. It is one of six Chapels Royal outside of the United Kingdom, one of two in Canada, the other being Christ Church Royal Chapel in Deseronto, Ontario. In 1981 the chapel was designated a National Historic Site of Canada.^[1][2]

History

Constructed near Brantford, Ontario in 1785 by the British Crown, the chapel was given to the Mohawk Indians led by Joseph Brant, for their support of the Crown during the American Revolution. They had migrated to Canada after Britain lost the Thirteen Colonies and were awarded land for resettlement. Originally called St. Paul's, the church is commonly referred to as the Mohawk Chapel. It is part of the Anglican Diocese of Huron and has a chaplain appointed by the Bishop of Huron in consultation with the congregation.

Joseph Brant's tomb

In 1850, the remains of Joseph Brant were moved from the original burial site in Burlington, to a tomb at the Mohawk Chapel. His son John Brant was also interred in the tomb. Next to Brant's tomb is a boulder memorializing the writer Pauline Johnson, who was born in the nearby Six Nations Reserve and attended services in the Chapel.

The site was elevated in 1904 to a Chapel Royal by King Edward VII.^[3]

Design

Architecturally, the chapel is a simple building with a rectangular floor plan; it is constructed of a wood frame faced with painted clapboards. It has been renovated several times. In November 2001, it suffered minor damage during two failed arson attempts. Originally the entrance faced east to the canoe landing site on the bank of the Grand River, the transportation route. Eight stained glass windows, installed between 1959 and 1962, depict events from the history of the Six Nations of the Iroquois.

Chaplains and associated clergy

1786 to 1827 (no resident clergy):

• The Reverend John Stuart of Kingston
• The Reverend Dr. Addison of Niagara
• The Reverend R. Leeming of Ancaster
• The Reverend Mr. Hough of England

Prince Arthur with the Chiefs of the Six Nations at the Mohawk Chapel, Brantford, in 1869.

1827 to present (resident clergy):

• The Reverend Robert Lugger (1827–1837)
• The Reverend Canon Jame Campbell Usher (1837)
• The Reverend A. Nelles (1837–1884)
• Archbishop R. Ashton (1885–1915)
• The Reverend C.M. Turnell (1915–1917)
• The Reverend C.H.P. Owen (1922–1929)
• The Reverend H.W. Snell (1929–1945)
• Canon W.J. Zimmerman (1945–1981)
• The Reverend Norman Casey (1981–2003)
• The Reverend Larry Brown (2004- )

See also

• Christ Church Royal Chapel, near Deseronto, Ontario
• The Canadian Crown and Aboriginal peoples

External links

• Mohawk Chapel website

Notes and sources

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mohawk Chapel.

Chapels Royal Canada Christ Church Royal Chapel, Deseronto Her Majesty's Royal Chapel of the Mohawks, Brantford United Kingdom Chapel Royal, Hampton Court Palace Chapel Royal, St. James's Palace Queen's Chapel, St. James's Palace St John's Chapel, London St. Peter ad Vincula, London Savoy Chapel, London St Katherine-upon-the-Hoe, Plymouth Former Chapel Royal, Brighton Chapel Royal, Dublin Castle

National Historic Sites of Canada by location Provinces Alberta British Columbia Manitoba New Brunswick Newfoundland and Labrador Nova Scotia Ontario Hamilton Kingston Niagara Ottawa Toronto Prince Edward Island Quebec Montreal Quebec City Saskatchewan Territories Northwest Territories Nunavut Yukon Other countries France Category Portal WikiProject

Coordinates: 43°07′28″N 80°14′06″W / 43.124432°N 80.235°W / 43.124432; -80.235