Chalmers-Wesley United Church, Protestant church in Old Quebec, Canada
Chalmers-Wesley United Church is a Gothic Revival Protestant church at 78 Rue Sainte-Ursule in Old Quebec, designed by architect John Wells. Its pointed arches and grey stone exterior follow the Gothic Revival style. Inside, the floor slopes and the pews are arranged in an amphitheatre layout, a change made in 1903 when the side balconies were removed to improve visibility of the stained-glass windows.
Designed by John Wells for the Free Presbyterian Church of Canada, the church was built from 1851 to 1853 and opened for worship on March 6, 1853. In 1925 it joined the United Church of Canada, and in 1931 the nearby Wesleyan Methodist congregation merged with it, giving the church its present name.
The name Chalmers-Wesley dates from the 1931 merger of Chalmers United Church with the congregation of the nearby Wesleyan Methodist Church. Six stained-glass windows from the old Wesley church, made between 1895 and 1913, were installed here and joined two Chalmers windows; nearly all the glass is the work of W.J. Fischer, produced by the Léonard workshop in Quebec.
This location is easily reached by walking through the narrow streets of the old quarter, where parking is available on the surrounding streets. Allow extra time to explore the neighborhood, as the area contains many other historic buildings and places worth visiting nearby.
The organ was built in 1890 by the Ontario maker Warren and stands in the chancel; Casavant Frères improved it in 1912 and Guilbault-Thérien in 1985. Composer William Reed served as organist from 1900 to 1913. Most of the stained glass, installed between 1895 and 1913, came from the workshop of W.J. Fischer in Quebec.
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