The Church of the Holy Cross

The Church of the Holy Cross in Dundas is a Gothic-style church built in 1868. John S. Archibald of the prominent Archibald milling family was the driving force behind the formation of the Episcopal congregation and construction of the church. The church was constructed across the street from his brother Edward Archibald’s home. Edward lived in the Greek Revival-style home with his wife and two sons starting in 1867.

Before the church was built, services were held in the first Archibald mill on the east bank of the Cannon River. Bishop Henry Whipple conducted the first service there in 1864.

Archibald donated the land for the church and provided the construction materials and interior furniture. Locally-quarried stone covers the exterior and four stained-glass windows line each side of the nave. The original wooden belfry at the west end of the nave was removed in 1974 when a tower was built on the corner. Multiple stained-glass windows, a bell, most of the furnishings, and the altar were all imported from England by Archibald.

A parish hall was added to the south side of the church in 1964 with similar materials and scale, making it nearly impossible to believe it isn’t part of the original structure. A subsequent modern addition that is far less sympathetic to the original structure was added by Rejoice! Church when they purchased it in 2012.

The cemetery next to the church includes several examples of Victorian grave art–including the markers of the Archibald family.