Written By Carol Small, Middlesex Centre Archives
According to Delaware and Westminster Townships Honouring Our Roots Volume 1, many of their churches have closed their doors. In fact, the village of Delaware currently has no active church in its boundaries. Several churches, including the United, Methodist, Presbyterian, Anglican and Roman Catholic, held services in Delaware Township.
In the Village, Delaware Memorial United Church, formerly Methodist, closed in 2020s; Delaware Presbyterian in 1947; Christ Anglican in 1999; and Sacred Heart Roman Catholic in 2006. In the Township, Burns Presbyterian Church (Concession 3 and No. 18 Sideroad) closed in 1927; Sharon United (Westminster Drive and Woodhull Road) formerly Methodist in 1955; Vail Methodist (Concession 1) in 1899; White or Harris Methodist (Concession 3 and No. 10 Sideroad) in 1894 and Mount Zion Methodist Episcopal (Longwoods Road and Highway 81) in 1896 when the Memorial Methodist Church in Delaware was built.
If you see a small rural cemetery, often a church once stood there. For example, Littlewood Cemetery once had a Methodist Church that was moved to Ilderton in 1892 and burned in 1910. Free Will Baptist (Richmond St. and Ten Mile Road) once stood where Medway Cemetery is located. The Charlton Cemetery (Charlton Drive between New Ontario and Mill Roads) marks the site of the Duncrief Methodist Church which closed pre-1860. Melrose Cemetery (Vanneck Road and Egremont Drive) was the site of the Melrose United Church, formerly Methodist, that closed in 1961.
What has happened to these religious institutions? Were they torn down? Have they been repurposed? Some such as the Ilderton Presbyterian Church was torn down to be replaced with the cenotaph. Trinity Anglican Church in Delaware was demolished with only a cemetery, in disarray with toppled tombstones strewn, to mark the site of the church and resting places of worshippers. Others, such as the Christ Disciples Church in Poplar Hill, have found new lives as places of worship for other denominations. Others such as Delaware United, Komoka Presbyterian, Birr United, Denfield Baptist, Zion United, Komoka Tabernacle and Wesley United have been remodeled into homes or apartments. Others have childcare centres such as Grace Anglican in Ilderton. Some have become storage units or places of business. Others remain empty waiting for their next life.
Many churches do remain open. New denominations have erected churches. Others such as Bryanston United formerly Methodist amalgamated with several local United Churches to form Villages United Church in 2024.
Read the third part of this
article in the first August issue.
