Update (2014-01-14): The Municipality of Gore is offering a $5,000 cash reward for information leading to the arrest of those responsible for the fire that burned down Shrewsbury Church, on January 13, 2014. Anyone with information regarding to this fire is urged to contact the SQ’s information hotline at 1.800.711.1800 or the Argenteuil detachment of the SQ at 450.562.2442.

Lost in the middle of the woods in a village that no longer exists, the small church of St. John has a sad face. Vandalized, emptied and visited by ghost's lovers, its days seem counted. In fact, according to neighbors, its popularity on the Internet caused its loss. While the sacred objects were stolen (including the bell of the church), some dating websites have even suggested theme nights to meet your soulmate and some ... ghosts. Also, if some have argued that suicide took place inside the church, this was only urban legends.

In 2010, the Anglican church of St John was decommissioned during a ceremony, formalized by the Archdeacon Edward Simonton, who also performed the sprinkling of holy water in the cemetery to clear the ground of all traces of "the art of Satan" or human malice. Today, despite a wish of making an community room inside the old church, nothing has been done and the time continues to do its work.

The origins of Shrewsbury

We're in the 1830s, and while that arrive in Montreal poor families from Ireland, a handful of them will hit the road to the northern lands. Located a hundred kilometers from Montreal, Shrewsbury is founded during these years. The settlers will clear the land and they will build facilities to make life easier for new residents. A school will be built in 1841 (and burn in 1935) and St. John's church will open its doors in 1858.

If the population of Shrewsbury  grow quickly, its fall will be just as fast. Already in the 1880s, disease and depression will scare away its people. Mainly agricultural village, many of its citizens are simply unable to find work and will be forced to exile as far as Western Canada. Already in the early twentieth century, the village of Shrewsbury lost half of its population. It will takes less than fifty years to see its last citizens leaving the town. Today, the village is merged with the town of Gore and the church and cemetery (where 27 graves) are the last witnesses of the former village now wiped off the map.