Bishop Cronyn Memorial Church, London

Bishop Cronyn Memorial Church in London, Ontario, was built in memory of Benjamin Cronyn, the first bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Huron, who died in 1871. The congregation began as St. George’s in 1870 and took the name “Memorial Church” in 1873, when the building opened. The full name Bishop Cronyn Memorial Church was adopted in 1955, reflecting the growth of the Anglican community at that time.

The church was designed in the Gothic Revival style, common for Anglican buildings of that period. Built with local yellow brick and red brick details, it features pointed arches, tall narrow windows, and a central tower. Its design follows older English church traditions adapted to local materials, and today the building is valued mainly for its historical and architectural character.

In recent years, its role has changed significantly. Bishop Cronyn Memorial Church is no longer operating as a traditional Anglican parish. Regular services ended in 2015, and the space was later used by Aeolian Hall for music programs, including the El Sistema youth program. Starting in late 2023, the building began being repurposed as a shelter space connected with Ark Aid Mission and Cronyn-Warner. By late 2025, the interior had been cleared to provide about 60 housing beds and to serve as an emergency warming space, reflecting its shift from parish church to community support facility.