The "Then" photo is from a vintage postcard circa early 1910s. Please note the 1¢ postage required. Based on information: Canada 1¢ rate was used between 1871 to 1915.
Christ Church Cathedral is a fine example of Gothic Revival architecture, as expressed by English architect, Frank Wills. The inspiration for the design was a 14th-century church in Norfolk, England, St. Mary's, Snettisham, Norfolk.
The cornerstone for the cathedral, built on the site of a previous Anglican Church, was laid on October 15, 1845 by then Lieutenant Governor Sir William Colebrooke. The consecration service, however, did not take place for another eight years, occurring on August 11, 1853. The date which the church bears, in Roman Numerals, is MDCCCXLIX, or 1849.
The spire we see atop the multi-spired tower is not the original. After a lightning caused fire in 1911, a restoration, designed by architect J. deLancey Robinson, included a lengthening of the spire by 20 feet, leaving the spire at 198 feet in height. Originally, there were 8 bells in the tower but, after the fire, Sir James Dunn replaced the 8 melted bells and donated 7 more for a total of 15. They are played on the bell manual, and they also chime as part of the clock on the quarter hour. The Cathedral was declared a National Historic Site in 1983.
In the sanctuary are many large stained glass windows, the major one being the East Window, which contains seven panels. Three apostles stand on either side of the centre pane which depicts Christ on the Cross. The seven panels represent the seven dioceses in existence at the time of its creation.
Christ Church Cathedral National Historic Site of Canada is a gracious mid-nineteenth-century cathedral whose elegant spire rises above the historic centre of Fredericton, New Brunswick. Dramatically sited on a generous green near the Saint John River, the cathedral recalls its English antecedents and has become an icon of Canadian ecclesiastical architecture. Official recognition refers to the building on its lot.