Newfoundland Gothic

How did an architectural style synonymous with medieval Europe become the
style of choice in remote towns and outports of nineteenth-century
Newfoundland and Labrador? From the city of St. John’s to isolated, wind-swept
colonies like Battle Harbour, Labrador (cover), the Gothic style left an
indelible mark on this unique and dramatic landscape. Newfoundland Gothic
explores how and why the style came to the colony, the many forms it took, and
what it meant to the people who used it. Gothic Revival architecture came to
Newfoundland and Labrador at a time when architectural style was laden with
social meaning. The style arrived on the shores of British North America
through the Established (Anglican) Church, and for that Church, the colonies
were a torrid battleground. The enemies were heathenism, Romanism, and
decadence; one of the key weapons in the fight was architecture, and the shape
of that weapon was “Pointed,” or Gothic. Copiously illustrated with original
colour photographs showing many previously unpublished monuments, Newfoundland
Gothic reveals a fascinating and unique chapter in the history of Canadian
architecture and the history of architecture in the British Empire. Le prix
Phyllis-Lambert Prize