Historic Sheffield church being dismantled after constant flood damage

A white, wooden church by the St. John River with roots going back to 1775 is being dismantled after years of deterioration caused by flooding.

The Sheffield United Church has not had a regular service in six years.

Church-goer Barbara Jamieson is sad about the loss but also resigned to it. Her own house had to be raised because of flooding in the community, a drive of about 30 kilometres east of Fredericton on Route 105.

Jamieson, who is 87, said she walked by the church every day on her way to school as a child and wants to be buried in the graveyard next to it, even after the building is gone.

"Many of my friends and ancestors are buried there, and my mom, and dad, and my husband, and someday that's where I will be," said Jamieson.

"It's going to be sad when I drive down and not see it anymore. But anyway, as time passes, things change and that's one of the changes that's going to take place in our community."

According to the York-Sunbury Historical Society website, the church was built upriver in Maugerville in 1775, then hauled to Sheffield almost 15 years later. It had to be rebuilt in the 1840s, although parts of the original structure were saved and used in the new one.

Jamieson said the building has experienced constant flooding since the 1930s.

"I think it was probably the highest ever in this area in 2018," she said. "We raised our house and have a new foundation under it, and we're hoping and praying that it's high enough."

Restoring the old church is not feasible, she said, because of the cost.

Church attendance declined over the years, she said, because younger generations don't go to church as much as hers did. The community also doesn't see many new residents because of the threat of spring flooding.

"I think it's time that the church is at its end," Jamieson said. "It's sad, but I think it would be a humongous amount of money to repair it, and the congregation just doesn't have the money or funds to do it."

Chris Jamieson, Barbara's son and a trustee on the church committee, said the historic building is in an unsafe condition because of its rotten bottom and an open balcony on the second floor with broken windows that does not meet the building code.

"It was a very hard decision on part of the trustee committee."