Text from the Plaque
St. Andrew's was begun in 1874 to serve a Church of Scotland congregation organized in 1830. An outstanding example of Romanesque Revival architecture, this massive church was designed by William Storm (1826-92), a noted Toronto architect. The style was associated with medieval architecture in Scotland, and the distinctively Scottish flank tower turrets further emphasized this significant connection. Constructed largely of Georgetown sandstone, St. Andrew's was dedicated on February 13, 1876, and later enlarged by the elaborate chancel addition. Under the vigorous leadership of its first minister, the Reverend D.J. Macdonnell (1843-96), an outspoken theologian, St. Andrew's rapidly became one of the most influential Presbyterian churches in Canada, and in 1890 it established St. Andrew's Institute, a pioneer centre for social work in Toronto.
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