Arva in Middlesex County, Ontario — Central Canada (North America)

Church of St. John the Devine, Arva

Photographed by Tim Boyd, March 30, 2026

1. Church of St. John the Devine, Arva Marker

Inscription. The first settlers in this district came from Ireland in 1818 with Captain Richard Talbot. In 1822 some 250 people attended the first Anglican service in the barn of William Geary, three and a half miles from here. The officiant was the Hon. and Rev. Charles James Stewart, a travelling missionary and later Bishop of Quebec. The following year, in 1823, the first church, a wooden frame building, was erected on this site given by Mr. John Fraleigh. In 1836 the parish was constituted a Crown Rectory, and the Rev. Benjamin Cronyn, later first Bishop of Huron, became the first Rector. The present church was built in 1875 and contains the pine pews from the first church. The church hall was added in 1978. In the churchyard are many tombstones of the early settlers. Six additional parishes were created between 1841 and 1906 from the original parish of St. John's.

Given in memory of David and Ruth Pidgeon

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Religion & Religious Structures • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1818.

Location. 43° 2.973′ N, 81° 17.7′ W. Marker is

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in Arva, Ontario, in Middlesex County. It is at the intersection of Richmond Street and Medway Road, on the left when traveling north on Richmond Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 21557 Richmond Street, Arva ON N0M 1C0, Canada. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Southwest Ontario Area

and in Southwestern Ontario.

It is also in Central Canada.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once a British colony,

the Viceroyalty of New France,

the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy,

and Rupert’s Land.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 8 kilometers of this marker, measured as the crow flies: The Lawson Site (approx. 4.1 kilometers away); UWO Sod Turning (approx. 4.7 kilometers away); Huron College 1863 (approx. 4.7 kilometers away); Toll Gates on the Proof Line Road (approx. 5.5 kilometers away); The Tolpuddle Martyrs (approx. 6 kilometers away); Doige Park (approx. 6.2 kilometers away); Site of Second UWO Campus (approx. 6.4 kilometers away); First UWO Campus

Photographed by Tim Boyd, March 30, 2026

2. Church of St. John the Devine, Arva Marker

Just to the south of the church buildong

(approx. 6.7 kilometers away).

Church of St. John the Devine, Arva, in 2026 image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Tim Boyd, March 30, 2026

3. Church of St. John the Devine, Arva, in 2026

Credits. This page was last revised on April 7, 2026. It was originally submitted on April 7, 2026, by Tim Boyd of Hamilton, Ontario. This page has been viewed 17 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on April 7, 2026, by Tim Boyd of Hamilton, Ontario. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.