250 Years Young !
The Parish of Cornwallis will celebrate two milestones in 2010 - the 250th anniversary of Parish worship, and the 200th anniversary of the erection of the new and second St. John's Church.
Services have been held at St. John's Cornwallis continuously for 200 years and the Parish of Cornwallis has sent Delegates to the Diocesan Synod every year since 1855. The present Wardens are closely connected to the founders of Cornwallis Township and the Parish of Cornwallis.
One is a descendant of Hezekiah Cogswell, one of the original Planters from Connecticut who settled Cornwallis Township with Major Starr. From the time of their arrival, the Cogswells established themselves as one of the foremost farm families in Kings County.
The other is related to St. John's first Warden-Colonel John Burbidge-a founding member of Cornwallis Parish. By the time St. John's Cornwallis was opened for worship in 1810, Colonel Burbidge had already served as Senior Warden of the Parish and at St. John's Fox Hill for 40 years. He died in 1812 in his 96th year and is buried at Fox Hill Cemetery.
The first St. John's Church built at Fox Hill in 1770 is still in use today. It is a charming garden house on a property on Church Street west of the present Parish Hall. (pictured)
A new and expanded history, "On the Shoulders of Giants", is now available
More information may be found by clicking on the "history" link on the main menu above.
If you would like to order a copy of the book or have questions or concerns please forward enquiries to: Orders / Enquiries
A small group* has been busy for the last two years preparing to publish a new history of the Parish and St. John's, Cornwallis. The impetus has been the joint anniversaries the Parish will celebrate in 2010. The upcoming history will have a wealth of new material, pictures, portraits, and a map or two, a treasure trove of stories about the Missionaries and Rectors from the early days of the Parish-and the independent Planters whose stamp on the Parish is still much in evidence today, information on prominent people who have been associated with the Parish, and the impact that the first Bishop's arrival had on parishes in Nova Scotia, including Bishop Inglis's disappointment with the state of affairs he found in Cornwallis on his first visit after his arrival.
Many significant accomplishments of the parish are included. The new history is the story of our people-all those hardworking, faithful, caring parishioners-who have dedicated themselves to strengthening the Anglican presence in Cornwallis and maintaining the legacy left by past generations as a mark of gratitude for the many blessings bestowed on the Parish over the last 250 years.
*The Parish/St. John's Cornwallis History Book Group: The Reverend David C. Garret, Advisor; Joanne Peill, Research; Colleen Mansfield, Design, Layout and Production; Elinor Murray, Author