Historic New Brunswick Church Faces Demolition

Despite its National Historic Site designation, the 170-year-old Christ Church in Maugerville, N.B., faces possible demolition due to flood damage in 2017 and 2018. Constructed in 1856, the church is a unique example of Gothic revival architecture adapted to Canadian conditions, particularly its wooden frame suited for the frostprone climate. 

Maugerville, the first English settlement on the Saint John River, was established in 1765 by colonial planters from Essex County, Mass., who settled on the land of the Wolastoqiyik — the Indigenous people of the Saint John River Valley. In 1845, Rev. John Medley became the first bishop of the new Diocese of Fredericton. He considered building cathedrals important to the Anglican mission. With stone too costly, wood became the practical choice. The medieval-style cathedral once served a congregation of roughly 150. 

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The property is owned by the Anglican Diocese of Fredericton, while the local parish is responsible for maintenance — however, it can no longer afford the extensive repairs and is ineligible for provincial funding. A graveyard on the property further complicates any potential sale. The church was officially deconsecrated in November 2025. 

New Brunswick historian John Leroux argues that the church’s location on a flood plain makes it vulnerable, but that shouldn’t dictate the heritage building’s future. 

“The biggest issue is the congregation doesn’t have the size anymore,” Leroux says. “But with all that, the Anglican diocese should have worked hard to try to find another group that would take over use of that building because dismantling it kills all its architectural importance. It’s been the cornerstone of the community in Maugerville since the 1850s.”