Assumption Church is the talk of the town after an announcement was made on Saturday – originally published exclusively on Windsor Visuals – that the historic gothic structure would be restored.
Today I present a repost of a tour of Assumption Church from Windsor Visuals, back in 2008, at a time when the fate of Assumption was almost all but sealed to certain destruction.
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In August 2008, I was invited to explore the inside of Assumption Church, the potentially-ill-fated architectural marvel in west Windsor. The future of Our Lady of the Assumption has been highly publicized over the last year: the structure itself needs a minimum of six million dollars to reverse the perils of old age, which include replacement of the center beam running along the ceiling (what holds the church together).
Religious, or not, Assumption is an amazing structure, crafted in a style known as ‘Perpendicular Gothic’ that is found mainly in Europe, and even parts of Quebec. Hit the jump for the rest of the tour..
Assumption Church fell on dark times
Assumption Church at night.
One of 10 copper pinnacles whose supports are crumbling. One of these pinnacles was removed a few years back for examination of its damage.
This door leads to a storage room outside the Sacristy, one of three connected buildings that make up Assumption Church.
One of the windows leading to the Sacristy, which is connected to the church. The Sacristy’s foundation is in bad shape, and the entire Sacristy must be demolished before it falls into further disrepair.
The Church, and its two companion buildings (the Sacristy and Rosary Chapel) were declared a Heritage Conservation Easement Site by the Ontario Heritage trust in 1985.
A defunct door that leads to the sacristy. Notice the erosion of the brickwork.
A shot of the poor conditions of the brickwork. The bricks used to build the church between 1842 and 1845 were actually produced a few blocks away in Sandwich, ON, aka Sandwich Towne.
And now… the interior. I had to get these shots quickly out of respect for the church, since electricity usage factors into the monetary situation. The interior is magnificent when lit.
A different shot, showing the ceiling which was painted in 1882 (the same year the main stain glass windows were installed). At the left of the photo, a small staircase, called a pulpit, is visible. The pulpit was salvaged from the original Assumption parish from the 1700s.
The painted stone altar was added in 1887.
At the left of the altar, the floor is sinking. This is the “sinking bench”. One side is high, the other might just boot you off!
Reversing now, this is the view toward the main entrance. The old pipe organ is visible on the choir’s balcony.
One of the windows at the front of the church. It’s not visible in this image, but there is a significant amount of water damage on the walls here.
Wooden craftwork inside the Sacristy: the building must be demolished and rebuilt.
Looking from a window on the 2nd floor of the Sacristy, steel girders were installed to prevent the structure from crumbling further.
The 2nd floor of the sacristy is used to store various decorations. Presently, Assumption’s Cross is being stored here after it was removed from the roof.
Lights out? Assumption has been ordered to study the methods by which they will raise $9.8 million dollars. The study must be finished in December 2008, with a fixed answer. After that point, the plan stands to erect a fence around the church and let it crumble into history.
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Fortunately, just the other day, the future of the church became certain! Assumption will continue to stand and operate for many many more years.
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