At this site on the grounds of St. John’s Anglican Cathedral and Cemetery, a 2½-storey brick residence was designed by architect brothers Charles Arnold Barber and Earle William Barber, and constructed in 1882 for approximately $12,000. Known initially as the Deanery (later the Bishop’s Court) was designed in a restrained Gothic Revival style.
The residence was built using locally produced Red River brick resting on a heavy stone foundation. It featured a steeply pitched roof topped with ornate decorative iron cresting and large, corbelled brick chimneys. The facade was characterized by prominent gables, one of which contained a small circular oculus window, and tall windows topped with segmental arches.
The residence was originally occupied by the Right Reverend John Grisdale, the Dean of Rupert’s Land, and it later served as a home for later Archdeacons. In 1920, it became a residence for boys from St. John’s College. After the Bishop’s Court on the riverbank was torn down in 1931, it became the residence of Archbishop Isaac O. Stringer and later Archbishop Malcolm Taylor MacAdam Harding. When Louis Ralph Sherman became Archbishop in 1943, he elected to live on Harvard Avenue and the residence fell vacant.
As the St. John’s Cathedral Cemetery expanded westward during the early twentieth century, the site of Bishop’s Court was gradually overtaken by the burial grounds. The residence was demolished in 1944, and today no physical trace of the original structure remains at the site.
Bishop’s Court (December 1939) by Harry Shave
Source: Winnipeg Tribune, 12 August 1944, page 9.Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.92091, W97.12549
denoted by symbol on the map above
See also:
Memorable Manitobans: Charles Arnold Barber (1848-1915)
Memorable Manitobans: Earle William Barber (1855-1915)
Historic Sites of Manitoba: St. John’s Anglican Cathedral and Cemetery (135 Anderson Avenue, Winnipeg)
Historic Sites of Manitoba: St. John’s Anglican Archdeacon’s House (172 Church Avenue, Winnipeg)
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Stories Houses Tell
“Stories Houses Tell: Bishop’s Court, St. John’s” by Lillian Gibbons, Winnipeg Tribune, 4 January 1936, page 12.
“Farewell to Bishop’s Court” by Lillian Gibbons, Winnipeg Tribune, 12 August 1944, page 9.
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Stories Houses Tell
This page was prepared by Kenneth Ingram.
Page revised: 23 December 2025
Historic Sites of Manitoba
This is a collection of historic sites in Manitoba compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. The information is offered for historical interest only.
Browse lists of:
Museums/Archives | Buildings | Monuments | Cemeteries | Locations | OtherInclusion in this collection does not confer special status or protection. Official heritage designation may only come from municipal, provincial, or federal governments. Some sites are on private property and permission to visit must be secured from the owner.
Site information is provided by the Manitoba Historical Society as a free public service only for non-commercial purposes.
Send corrections and additions to this page
to the MHS Webmaster at webmaster@mhs.mb.ca.Help us keep history alive!
