544 Penryn Rd, Shiloh United Memorial Church (Shiloh), Colborne
(c.1863)
Roll No. 1411-011-030-20600 – Cramahe Township Ontario
Country Church – Designated
The historical designation for the Shiloh Church includes original features not painted since the turn of the 20th century:
Interior Features
- Original pews built of pine;
- Original wainscoting and window trim;
- Front worship area including railings and pulpit;
- Rear backdrop or wind barrier from doors built of pine beaded boards;
- Pine floor painted;
- Painted tin ceiling – a later addition;
- Heating system designed and constructed to heat very efficiently;
- Organ, which has been used in the church since it was first acquired;
Other features on site
- One original drive shed . Two large maple trees over 80 years old (in 1993)
Exterior Features
- Original clapboard painted white since the building was constructed;
- Original windows and frames with multi-paned sash (interesting Gothic features);
- Original Double doors;
- Heating system’s red brick chimney;
- Large overhanging eaves, in the style of the day and trimmed out nicely.
Features missing but for which there is picture evidence
- One original drive shed which ceased to be us use when the horse era had passed;
- A front veranda which spanned the entire face of the building.
History or Associative Value
The Shiloh Church is situated in Cramahe Township, Concession 6, Part of Lot 16. It was built in 1863 on a part of the farm lands donated by Robert Dunnett. It was originally a Wesleyan-Methodist Church and in 1925, it became a United Church. It was well attended in the early days by the original settlers of Shiloh – William Mutton, William Philp, Robert Dunnett and Henry Wilce and their families, all of whom were involved in the building of the church. Descendents of these original families still live in the neighbourhood.
Additional Historical and Genealogical Information
Although almost certainly farmed at an earlier date, Lot 21 of Concession 1 wasn’t officially granted by the Crown until 3 January 1828, when it went to King’s College, which had come into existence less than a year earlier. Its name would become the University of Toronto in 1849. On the same date the crown granted Lots 5, 11, 28, and 34 in the Broken Front Concession; 5, 11, 21, 28, and 34 in Concession 1; 3, part of 9, 24, and 30 in Concession 2; 21, 28, and 34 in Concession 3; 24 and 34 in Concession 4; 5 in Concession 5; 5 and 11 in Concession 7; 3 in Concession 8; and 8 and 11 in Concession 9 to King’s College as well. This totals somewhere in the neighbourhood of 2200 acres.
On 12 June 1862 the University of Toronto sold the eastern half (100 acres) of lot 16 to farmer Robert Dunnett (1821-1907). Dunnett’s wife was Mary Phillips (1822-1918). They had ten children: Mary Jane (1845-?), John Phillip (1846-1923), Emma (1849-?), Sophia (1852-?), Belinda (1853-1871), Wallace L. (1856-1938), Elizabeth (1858-1946), George (1860-1933), Henry (1862-?), and Harriet (1870-1948).
On 13 November 1866 Dunnett sold a quarter of an acre of his land to the trustees of the Shiloh Wesleyan Methodist Church. These trustees were William Philp (1819-1878), William Mutton (1802-1889), Daniel G. Turney (1821-1902), Robert Philp (1835-1905), Charles Mutton (1824-1888), Hugh Philp (1834-1902), James Newson (1803-1891), and Robert Dunnett himself.
“How Firm a Foundation” (Argyris 2000) indicates that the Church was built on this site in 1863. If so, it sat for 3 years on land belonging to Robert Dunnett.
