In 1830, several concerned Scottish Presbyterians wrote to the Glasgow Colonial Society requesting a minister. They had no church building, not even a schoolhouse to meet in, and they could only offer a salary of twenty pounds sterling. Rev. Duncan McMillan answered this call, and arrived in Caledon in 1830. His induction as Minister of Caledon took place in the barn of Archibald Ferguson whose stone house is still standing north of the present church. A small log building near this barn served as the church. In 1853, Allen McKinnon donated a one-acre portion of his land for the construction of a new church, built with local fieldstone. The charming one-room church we still see standing today. The floor was constructed from boards cut from trees of the surrounding forest, and the crude seats were fashioned by cutting sections of the tree trunks and laying boards across them. Despite the crudeness of the finishing, the church endured and served the community until 1965. The grave markers in the cemetery tell the tale of the early settlers; names like McKinnon, McLeod, McCormack, McFarland and McMillan relate their Scottish origins. The 150th anniversary of the church in 2003 also marked the start of a restoration project which when completed will allow the church to be used for community events, weddings and art shows. Already the church is being recognized as a charming place for carol services and an Easter sunrise service. The Friends organization proudly proclaims: “We are all looking forward to having St. Andrew’s Stone Church reappear as a unique and striking historic landmark in the Caledon countryside.” When next walking the Bruce Trail past the building, stop to reflect of the efforts of these early settlers and what they gave to a new land.
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