Built between 1815 and 1821, the grand structure of St. Raphael's church an engineering marvel in it's time with no interior supporting pillars. Known as the "Great Church", it sat over 1000 parishioners, the largest church in Ontario. The devastating fire in 1970 destroyed the interior of the building, but amazingly, the exterior walls withstood the heat. After years of sitting in ruins, and at the threat of being torn down, the Friends of the Ruins organization was established. The great church was stabilized and restored to its current historic state and was designated a national historic site in 1996.
The picturesque Ruins is a popular attraction and a wonderful location for outdoor wedding ceremonies and musical events, and possesses a sureal atmosphere inside the walls of this truly remarkable grand structure.
Visit saintraphaelsruins.com for more information
Today, Iona Academy is a member of the Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario for students from junior kindergarten to grade 8. Iona remains associated to the St. Raphael's parish for student masses and first communions.
The fascinating history of Iona Academy was told by Sister Claire MacDonald in 1975, and can be found on the Cornwall Community Museum website that is a must-read for members of the community and history buffs.
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Originally the St. Raphael's Catholic School, a three room schoolhouse that was built between 1957 - 1959, This building was converted to temporary housing for sponsored Vietnamese families in 1979 (The Boat People), after which is was unoccupied for many years. It was then converted to the Parish hall and remains an active venue for local community and fundraising events for the Parish. Annual events such as the St. Patrick's Day Irish stew supper, and the very popular Harvest Supper in September, bring the community, friends and family together. Local residents and travellers attend the Parking Lot barbeques in the summer and the Christmas Craft sale in October is a great venue for local artisans to kick off the holiday season.
The hall seats up to 120 people and is available to rent for private events, meetings, and small social gatherings.
Contact information is on the Hall Information page below.
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The Bishops House is among the oldest and most historic buildings in Ontario, and is an element of the celebrated St. Raphael’s Ruins National Historic Site.
Built in 1808 by Rev. Alexander Macdonell, parish priest of St. Raphael’s in the early 1800s and later the first bishop of Ontario. It was the original building for Iona Academy and has been used for many purposes during its long history. It is currently being restored to its original glory by the Glengarry Fencibles Trust to become a hub for community events and meaningful activities.
Visit bishopshouse.ca for more information.