Holy house hunters! A historic church in southwestern Ontario has gone up for sale with a starting bid of only $1.
“It was just listed yesterday and we have three showings booked for today,” realtor Roy Rodrigues told CTV Kitchener on Wednesday. “It’s a beautiful property.”
Built in 1871, Saint Jude's Anglican Church in Brantford, Ont., is a National Historic Site. But while the building was erected nearly 150 years ago, its rich 20th century interior that led the now-decommissioned church to receive its historic designation in 1993.
Inside, colourful century-old stained glass windows cast kaleidoscopic light on walls where intricate murals, some as large as 5.5 metres, depict various parts of Jesus’ life. The murals were painted in 1936 by the Browne family, which decorated churches across the country.
“They did it all across Canada,” Nathan Etherington, who chairs Brantford’s Heritage Committee, told CTV Kitchener. “They are the most well-known.”
The church will be sold at auction, Rodrigues added. The starting bid is one buck and bids will be held until June 12.
“We’re expecting multiple offers,” Rodrigues added.
But while the church may have a National Historic Site designation, it is not on a protected register.
“It’s very worrisome in the sense that we know it’s not protected,” Etherington said. “Anything could potentially happen.”
The church is currently zoned institutional, but Rodrigues said that the city may be open to allowing other uses, like condos or a restaurant.
“I’m sure that the new owners or the new investors that are going to be purchasing it will most likely keep it intact,” Rodrigues said. “But then again, it’s up to the new owners.”
With a report from CTV Kitchener’s Max Wark
