Erected to serve a thriving congregation established in 1841, Central Presbyterian Church was built in 1907-08 after an earlier building was destroyed by fire. It is reputedly the only church designed by renowned architect John M. Lyle, the Paris-trained son of the minister and one of Canada's leading exponents of the beaux arts system of design. Georgian in form, the imposing building is symmetrical and well-proportioned. Its most distinctive features - semi-circular stairwells at the ends of the transepts, an elegant, open arch tower and a tapering, octagonal spire - offset the flat wall surfaces and create a striking profile. Although a Sunday School wing erected at the rear of the sanctuary has been altered, Central Presbyterian Church retains much of its original character.

Location

On the grounds of the church, 165 Charlton Avenue West, Hamilton

Themes

• Buildings and structures
• Religion