Ravenscliffe (Ont.)

The North Muskoka Anglican Pioneer Parish is made up of the Anglican congregation (Ahmic Harbour, Ont.), Christ Anglican Church (Illfracombe, Ont.), St. George's Anglican Church (Lancelot, Ont.), St. John the Baptist Anglican Church (Ravenscliffe, Ont.), St. Mary's Anglican Church (Aspdin, Ont.), and St. Paul's Anglican Church (Grassmere, Ont.).

St. John the Baptist Anglican Church (Ravenscliffe, Ont.) is a church in the North Muskoka Anglican Parish.

St. John's beginnings were with the family's of George Tipper and William Malkin, two of the first settlers in this area north of Huntsville. In 1871, the Bishop of Toronto appointed Tipper as lay-reader and Anglican services soon began in his log home. A site for the church was found in 1872, but they conceded to Hoodstown's plans, as they had a larger population and were looking at the same site. A new site was found, and with Rev. A. S. Sweet's arrival and donations from England, the church was built in 1883; the first service was in June 1885. The church and cemetery were consecrated on November 4, 1887. At this point, the Ravenscliffe church was part of the Huntsville mission. By 1890 it had joined the Ilfracombe mission, then by 1900 it was part of the Novar mission. In the 1930's, St. John's was ministered to by the S.S.J.E. (Society of St. John the Evangelist). By 1970, St. John the Baptist had re-joined the Huntsville mission. 

Sources:

• "Mission of Huntsville", The Algoma Missionary News 9, no. 2 (1888): 5. Algoma University Archives, 2009-081_001_002_1888Jan.
• “History of Christ Church, Ilfracombe”, 1962, Diocesan Heritage Centre Parish History collection, Algoma University Archives, 2014-019_001_053.
• "Diocesan Funds Well Supported by Parishes in 1970" The Algoma Anglican 15, no. 2 (1971): 4. Algoma University Archives. 2013_086_001_007_1971Feb.
• Gary Denniss, "A Brief History of the Churches in Muskoka", 1996, Synod of the Diocese of Algoma fonds, Algoma University Archives, 2009-156_002_009.