Pioneer Church at Rockingham

While I am calling it the pioneer church, it is simply known as the Rockingham Church although it was originally known as St. Leonard’s Anglican Church.

It was built in 1875 when there was much more going on in Rockingham than there is today. Today, in fact, the church and a few houses seem to be all that there is to find. The scrollable map below will attest to the isolation of Rockingham. Do click to move around or use your mouse wheel to zoom in and out in order to get a better idea of the location.

Sue and I had visited twice in the past, but we thought we would take our inlaws on a field trip when we were staying with them at the cottage in late September and early October.

The church sits up on a  little hill with a cemetery around it. I try to picture the parishioners struggling up the hill in winter. I suppose, however, that most of the pioneer folk were young and hardy.

Here it is on our last visit in 2011. Just imagine making that climb on a blustery Sunday morning in January.

Historical plaque near the bottom of the climb.

Taken on our recent visit, the path from the previous is on the other side where you see a bit of a railing near the corner. We are only about 1/3 of the way down in this photo. I wanted to get a view including both the church and surrounding gravestones.

Here's looking back down from inside in another older photo.

Before we take a gander around inside, here is another view of the building.

Inside, the church is about what you would expect with its hard pews, but the wood is all very attractive and well preserved. Once again, these photos are a mixture of old (2011) and new shots.

I believe that is the original stove or one much like it.
I can't imagine that it was terribly effective,
especially for those sitting near the back,
which is where I would have been.

There is quite a bit more information about the history, architecture and maintenance at this site of the Pembroke library.

The combination of the map (above) and these directions should get you there. It could be made part of a daytrip from Carleton Place although it might be a little long for some.

Directions from the Pembroke Library website:

The Rockingham Church is located at the junction of John Watson Road and the Rockingham Road, in the village of Rockingham. From the east (Killaloe or Eganville), turn off Hwy. 512 at Brudenell onto Renfrew County Road #66 (the Opeongo Line). Turn left onto Renfrew County Road #68 (the Letterkenny Road) and follow the signs to Rockingham. From the west (Combermere), turn off Hwy. 62 onto Hwy. 515. Turn left immediately onto Renfrew County Road #68 (the Rockingham Road) and follow to Rockingham.