Grave and Nave: An Architecture of Cemeteries and Sanctuaries in Rural Ontario

Cultural landscapes are architectural creations, which is to say that all mankind’s scratchings on the earth surface have a style as well as a substance. In this essay we explore the design of Christian church sites and burying grounds established throughout rural Ontario and dating from the early n...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Ontario history 2005-09, Vol.97 (2), p.138-159
Main Authors: McIlwraith, Thomas F., Hummer, Mark
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
19th century AD
Architecture
Cemeteries
Christian life & ethics
Church buildings
Churches
Design and construction
Location
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Summary:Cultural landscapes are architectural creations, which is to say that all mankind’s scratchings on the earth surface have a style as well as a substance. In this essay we explore the design of Christian church sites and burying grounds established throughout rural Ontario and dating from the early nineteenth century. The liturgical significance of having graves and church aisles facing east appears to have been widely understood and appreciated, but applying these rules on the land frequently failed to occur. In a field study of 150 cemeteries and more than 200 church buildings we find that burials hold to the rule of eastness much more than did churches. We discuss possible reasons for this inconsistency in landscape design.
ISSN:0030-2953
2371-4654
DOI:10.7202/1065880ar