There have been several early versions of St. James Anglican church. The original church did not have a name; it was simply referred to as the church in York, and it was the only one in the nascent town. Built in 1807, it was a simple wood-framed structure designed by William Berczy. It was enlarged in 1818, and a bell was added that served as the fire warning bell. In 1828 it was named St. James.
During the War of 1812, wounded soldiers along the Niagara frontier were sent to York and since the church was the largest building in town it served as a hospital. When the American troops invaded York, destroying the Parliament buildings and badly damaging the fort, the church was also looted and damaged. In 1833, it was replaced by a larger stone church designed by Thomas Rogers. Its tower had not yet been completed when it was severely damaged by fire in 1839. The 1839 church, designed by Thomas Young, was immediately rebuilt. John Strachan was consecrated as bishop this same year which meant that the church of St. James opened as a cathedral. It stood for only 10 years, when it was completed destroyed by the Great Fire of 1849 that also razed a large area of the city’s main commercial section. |