The Deanery of Essex - The Story

The Deanery of Essex is one of thirteen deaneries comprising the Anglican Diocese of Huron, founded in 1857 with its first bishop, the Rt. Rev. Benjamin Cronyn. The Deanery follows the boundaries of the secular County of Essex, surrounded on three sides by Lake Saint Clair, the Detroit River and Lake Huron.

At that time there were 63 churches - no deaneries - in the diocese, from Windsor to Waterloo, Lake Erie to Tobermory, but deaneries were recorded in the Synod Journal by 1869.

The earliest parishes in Essex were the only Anglican places of worship west of Niagara to the Pacific in the early 1800s: St. John's Sandwich, Christ Church, Amherstburg and Christ Church, Colchester along with St. Paul's, Chatham (now Christ Church) on the Thames River.

When Michigan was ceded to the United States in 1796, many residents moved to the British side of the river, then known as South Detroit. Richard Pollard was first ordained in 1802 and the parish of Saint John with was created in the new town of Sandwich, Upper Canada. It' first church building was erected in 1807. Mr. Pollard had missionary jurisdiction over the whole of the Western District! St. Paul's Church, Detroit (now St. Paul's Cathedral) records show that Mr. Pollard established that church in 1805 and the present Cathedral dates from 1872.

Amherstburg was first settled in 1784 and the first congregation of Christ Church was established by the Rev. Richard Pollard in 1802, including the garrison at Fort Malden. The church was built by the soldiers of Fort Malden and the first service took place in 1819

Christ Church, Colchester, on the shore of Lake Erie, was another of the mission churches in of Mr. Pollard, in 1805.

With a grant from the Society for the Propagation of the gospel, Mr Pollard raised funds for the building of four permanent churches: Amherstburg (1819), Sandwich (1819), Chatham (1820) and Colchester (1821).

Saint Stephen's Church, Oldcastle, was established as a mission to the Irish farming community settlement. It was a mission church of Saint John's, Sandwich, in 1841.

Presently in Essex, there are 28 congregations / churches in 21 parishes, some urban and some rural. It is the largest by population of the 13 deaneries.