Protecting our irreplaceable heritage for the next two hundred years.
The preservation of Allenville Church & Cemetery is our most essential and enduring responsibility. The structures and grounds entrusted to our care are not simply old buildings and fields — they are physical manifestations of the community's history, the faith of the founding families, and the dignity of those who rest in the adjoining cemetery.
Our preservation program is guided by the principles of the Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada and the best practices established by the Canadian Association of Heritage Professionals. We believe that authentic preservation — using compatible materials, documented methods, and minimal intervention — is the only responsible approach to caring for a site of this significance.
Each year, our volunteer committee assesses the condition of the church building, the cemetery infrastructure, and the grounds, prioritizing work based on urgency, heritage impact, and available resources. We also pursue provincial and federal heritage grants to ensure that the financial burden of this work does not fall entirely on the local community.
Our volunteer team, supported by professional heritage contractors, is currently engaged in several significant restoration projects.
The 1871 bell tower has undergone significant structural assessment, revealing deterioration in the wooden frame at the belfry level. A professional heritage structural engineer has designed a restoration plan that will reinforce the frame with complementary materials while preserving the tower's historic character. Work is expected to be completed by autumn 2025.
The original hand-planed pine box pews, some dating to the 1871 construction, are undergoing careful conservation treatment. Worn and damaged sections are being repaired by a licensed furniture conservator using period-appropriate joinery techniques. Several pews retain original family name inscriptions that are being documented and protected.
Phase 1 of our cemetery stone conservation initiative was completed in 2024, covering the eastern Founders' Row section. Forty-seven historic markers were cleaned, stabilized, and re-levelled using non-destructive conservation techniques. All work was documented with high-resolution photography and photogrammetric 3D modeling for the digital archive.
Our commitment to preservation extends beyond the buildings and monuments to the natural landscape of the church and cemetery grounds. The site is home to several mature heritage trees — including a pair of white elms over 150 years old that frame the church entrance — as well as a remarkable diversity of native plant species that have colonized the older sections of the cemetery over the decades.
We maintain the grounds using integrated pest management principles that minimize chemical inputs, and we have recently established a native wildflower border along the northern cemetery boundary using seeds sourced from Heritage Seeds Nova Scotia. This planting not only enhances the visual character of the grounds but provides important habitat for pollinators in the Parrsboro area.
Our long-term grounds management plan, developed in partnership with the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources, aims to transition the cemetery to a fully chemical-free maintenance regime by 2027, while ensuring that heritage trees and ecologically sensitive areas receive appropriate professional care.
Our restoration work is supported by a combination of provincial and federal heritage grant programs.
We have successfully applied for grants through the Nova Scotia Department of Communities, Culture, Heritage and Sport to support the bell tower restoration and cemetery stone conservation projects.
Through the Federal Historic Places Initiative, we have received cost-sharing support for professional heritage assessments and the development of our long-term conservation management plan.
The Canada Summer Jobs program enables us to employ skilled young tradespeople in heritage conservation work each summer, building capacity in heritage construction skills across our region.
See the before-and-after impact of our cemetery stone conservation and grounds restoration work.
Several markers sunken, tilted, and partially illegible due to decades of weathering.
Markers carefully cleaned, re-levelled, and stabilized using conservation-grade materials.
There are many ways to support the long-term preservation of Allenville Church & Cemetery, from hands-on volunteering to community advocacy.
Are you a carpenter, mason, or skilled tradesperson with an interest in heritage conservation? We welcome volunteers with construction skills for hands-on restoration work.
Help us create our photographic and 3D documentation archive of the cemetery markers and church interior — training provided, no experience needed.
Help us identify and apply for heritage funding programs by volunteering your research and writing skills for grant applications and community advocacy.
