Downtown Victoria Tour

Blanshard Street – 600 Block

626 Blanshard Street – Church of Our Lord

The Church of Our Lord at 626 Blanshard Street is part of the Reformed Episcopal Church.

This church was built in 1875 by architect John Teague for the Reverend (later Bishop) Edward Cridge. The first service was held in this church on 16 January, 1876.

The Church of Our Lord, 626 Blanshard Street, built in 1875 by architect John Teague for Rev. Edward Cridge.

The Church of Our Lord, 626 Blanshard Street, built in 1875 by architect John Teague for Rev. Edward Cridge.

The Church of Our Lord is on the City of Victoria Heritage Building Registry and was listed on the Canadian Register of Historic Places in 1979.  The Church of Our Lord, the adjacent Cridge Memorial Hall, built in 1929, and the church grounds were declared a National Historic Site in June 1990.

Here is a map showing the location of the Church of Our Lord, 626 Blanshard Street.

Here is a Google Street View image of the Church of Our Lord:

Additional Information About The Church of Our Lord

The Cridge Memorial Hall, designed by architect <a href=

The original east facing rose window on the Church of Our Lord

The original east facing rose window on the Church of Our Lord

A Brief History of the Church of Our Lord, 626 Blanshard Street

The Church of Our Lord was built as a direct result of a theological dispute between Rev. Edward Cridge and George Hills, the Anglican Bishop of British Columbia. Edward Cridge was an Anglican clergyman at  Victoria’s Christ Church Cathedral when he instigated a dispute with his Bishop, George Hills.

Reverend Cridge challenged the Bishop’s authority in an ecclesiastical court. The court decided against Reverend Cridge and Bishop Hills prohibited Rev. Cridge from celebrating Divine Service at Christ Church Cathedral.

Rev. Cridge responded by leaving the Anglican Church, joining the Reformed Episcopal Church and setting up his own church, taking many prominent members of the Christ Church Cathedral congregation with him.

Reverend Edward Cridge and his parishioners built the Church of Our Lord as their new church building. The Church of Our Lord was designed by architect John Teague.

Here are some historic photos of the Church of Our Lord and Bishop Edward Cridge:

The Church of Our Lord, 626 Blanshard Street, built in 1875 by architect John Teague for Rev. Edward Cridge.

The Church of Our Lord, 626 Blanshard Street, built in 1875 by architect John Teague for Rev. Edward Cridge.

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