Architecture
Knox Presbyterian (United) Church
Knox Church was built in Vars in 1904 using the Gothic Revival style of architecture with the characteristic tower over the front entrance with a decorative cornice and the steeply pitched roof. The narrow, pointed arched windows with the red and yellow stained glass are also typical of this style. The balloon frame construction and steeply pitched, shingle clad roof are similar to those seen on the school house and community hall.
The original tin on the roof has since been replaced with singles. Tin roofs were common in the 1920s and 1930s because of their durability and fireproof quality. The log frame construction (similar to that visible in the Spratt house) was covered over with siding in the twentieth century. This same practice, which gives the house a more "civilized" and affluent appearance, can be seen with the Mainville house (the General Store). Horizontal "shiplap" siding was employed on the Duford house while vertical "board and batten" siding was used on the General Store.
The church was brought to the museum in 1977.
Bibliography:
Cumberland Heritage Village Self-guided Architecture Tour. Ottawa: Cumberland Heritage Village Museum, 2015. Print.
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