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History of the Church of the Ascension

Today (2007) Lower Norton and the Church of the Ascension lie within the limits of the Town of Hampton.   The road from Hampton to the Kingston Parish boundary winds along the marshes which edge the Kennebecasis River, with high hills behind it.   Many members of the congregation of the Church are the descendants of the original Loyalist settlers who founded the Church in 1845.   Newcomers to the area are welcomed into the community and into the Church of the Ascension.

LOWER NORTON

On the 4^th of July 1785 Kings County was erected with four parishes:   Westfield, Springfield, Kingston and Sussex.   The Parish of Norton was divided between Sussex and Kingston until 1795 when the larger part was formed into a distinct parish.   The parish of Norton followed the Kennebecasis River down to what was the Isaac Ketchum farm, where an arbitrary line was drawn across the river.   The lower portion of the Parish remained within the Parish of Kingston until March 1844.

 This lower part was referred to as Little Norton or the Yankee Shore because most of its settlers were Loyalists or Yankees from Connecticut.   There have been stories about a church being started in Lower Norton which pre-dated both Christ Church in Bloomfield and St. Paul’s in Hampton although no record in any form has proved that an actual structure was started.   By the time the people were able to make a start, the greater population centre was found in Hampton and the church was built there, supported by the inhabitants of Hampton and the folk of the Lower Norton Shore.   They crossed over to St. Paul’s by boat in summer and on the ice in the winter from the meadow at the foot of the Hoyt property (today the MacMackin property).

 In March 1844, a bill was passed by the House of Assembly in Fredericton annexing what is now commonly called Lower Norton to the Parish of Norton.   The new parish line passed through the eastern side of the Prince farm near the start of the present Ketchum Road.   In December of the same year, Mr. Linus Seely gave about an acre of land for the site of a church and cemetery in Lower Norton.   The land was between the Seely and the Frost properties.   Later, two more rods of land were purchased by Mrs. Braman (who had purchased the Seely property) from Walter Lawrence (who had bought the Frost property) and given, together with an additional rod by Mr. Lawrence, for an extension to the grounds on the southwestern side of the property.   These gifts have the effect of making the grounds proportionate on either side of the church.

At the Annual Parish meeting on Easter Monday, 24 March 1845 a resolution was passed which authorized a committee to raise a subscription for a new church at the lower end of the parish on the gift of land.   They wasted no time and in the Azor Hoyt diary of 30 April 1845 “Little Norton Church raised.   Called Church of the Ascension”.   No record has been found showing the costs or materials but it is known that the original structure was 28 feet wide and extended to include only two of the four side windows, finished with lath and plaster.   It was never fitted with a gallery as was so common at the time, extra room being gained by an addition in length later.   The seats were always free.

 The Church of the Ascension was consecrated by Bishop John Medley on 2 November 1845 who preached from 1 Timothy Chapter 3 verses 14 and 15.   The first rector of the Parish was Rev. William Scovil, the first burial took place on 11 April 1845 and by 1847 plans were already in the works to enlarge the church and to provide a proper chancel.   The building was extended to a length of 52 feet which not only gave additional seating for one hundred people but also included a chancel and adjoining rooms which provided a robing room and a library, making it in the opinion of the Committee which oversaw the work “one of the most comfortable and commodious churches in the Diocese”.   The cost was retired by the time the work was completed.   In 1860 the parishioners subscribed for Silver Communion vessels, believed to be the first Communion Service owned by any individual church in the Parish.    In 1906 extensive renovations were undertaken and in 1935 the church was wired for electricity.   The original bell in the tower was taken down because it was too heavy for the framework (it is still in use in the Baptist Church at Belleisle Creek) and was replaced at Ascension with a smaller bell.

(Excerpts from Jack Hoyt: 1961, “History of Christ Church, Parish of Norton”)

Thanks for visiting our site! for information or to send comments, contact  webmaster.  Christ Church Web Site launched April 7, 1999: Revised to the Parish of Central Kings web site, June 30, 2002:  Original site created by Patti Hoyt; Revised 2007 by Anne Walling.

Photos by Patti Hoyt and Anne Walling.