Clarendon, Quebec
Encyclopedia
Clarendon is a municipality in the Outaouais region, part of the Pontiac Regional County Municipality, Quebec
, Canada
. It is located on the north shore of the Ottawa River
across from Horton Township
in Ontario
.
Its settlements include Clarendon, North Clarendon, Charteris, Lawn, Murrell, Radford, Sand Bay, Starks Corners, and Yarm. The town of Shawville is completely surrounded by, but not part of, Clarendon.
Largely cleared of forests, Clarendon is a predominantly agricultural municipality, with an elevation of 167 metres (547.9 ft) above sea level. The only notable lake is Green Lake, which is surrounded by cottages.
did not occur until 1825 when James Prendergast, a retired British Army Officer, was commissioned by the government to lead this task. From that year until 1827, free land was granted, resulting in a wave of settlers, starting with 15 settlers near the township's centre (now Shawville). But Prendergast, originally from religiously-divided Ireland
, stipulated that settlers only be Protestants in order to avoid similar religious strife. As a result, Clarendon (and Shawville) is known as the heartland of Anglo-Saxon Protestantism
in western Quebec.
Between 1827 and 1835, Prendergast was responsible for establishing the first four schools and bringing in its teachers. He also built a water-driven sawmill and grist mill at his home along the Ottawa River.
In 1833, the Township of Clarendon was officially established. It was named after Clarendon Park
, near Salisbury in Wiltshire, England (where Henry II
had convened peers and bishops to formulate the Constitutions of Clarendon
in 1164). In 1837, the post office opened. From then on and into the 1840s, when the timber industry started to prosper, a second wave of settlement occurred, doubling the population of Clarendon between 1840 and 1850.
In 1855, the Township Municipality
of Clarendon was created. This style was reformed to Municipality of Clarendon on October 11, 2003.
Total private dwellings (excluding seasonal cottages): 485
Languages:
Pontiac Regional County Municipality, Quebec
Pontiac is a county regional municipality MRC Pontiac in the Outaouais region of Quebec, Canada. It should not be confused with the municipality of Pontiac, which is located inside the county regional municipality of Les Collines-de-l'Outaouais....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It is located on the north shore of the Ottawa River
Ottawa River
The Ottawa River is a river in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. For most of its length, it now defines the border between these two provinces.-Geography:...
across from Horton Township
Horton, Ontario
For other places with the same name, see Horton .Horton is a township in eastern Ontario, Canada, at the confluence of the Bonnechere River and the Ottawa River in Renfrew County. The Town of Renfrew was originally part of Horton Township.Robert A...
in Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
.
Its settlements include Clarendon, North Clarendon, Charteris, Lawn, Murrell, Radford, Sand Bay, Starks Corners, and Yarm. The town of Shawville is completely surrounded by, but not part of, Clarendon.
Largely cleared of forests, Clarendon is a predominantly agricultural municipality, with an elevation of 167 metres (547.9 ft) above sea level. The only notable lake is Green Lake, which is surrounded by cottages.
History
The township was first surveyed in 1792 and appears on the Gale and Duberger map of 1795. SettlementBritish colonization of the Americas
British colonization of the Americas began in 1607 in Jamestown, Virginia and reached its peak when colonies had been established throughout the Americas...
did not occur until 1825 when James Prendergast, a retired British Army Officer, was commissioned by the government to lead this task. From that year until 1827, free land was granted, resulting in a wave of settlers, starting with 15 settlers near the township's centre (now Shawville). But Prendergast, originally from religiously-divided Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, stipulated that settlers only be Protestants in order to avoid similar religious strife. As a result, Clarendon (and Shawville) is known as the heartland of Anglo-Saxon Protestantism
White Anglo-Saxon Protestant
White Anglo-Saxon Protestant or WASP is an informal term, often derogatory or disparaging, for a closed group of high-status Americans mostly of British Protestant ancestry. The group supposedly wields disproportionate financial and social power. When it appears in writing, it is usually used to...
in western Quebec.
Between 1827 and 1835, Prendergast was responsible for establishing the first four schools and bringing in its teachers. He also built a water-driven sawmill and grist mill at his home along the Ottawa River.
In 1833, the Township of Clarendon was officially established. It was named after Clarendon Park
Clarendon Palace
Clarendon Palace is a medieval ruin near Salisbury in Wiltshire, England.The palace was a royal residence during the Middle Ages, and was the location of the Assize of Clarendon which developed the Constitutions of Clarendon.-Roman Times:...
, near Salisbury in Wiltshire, England (where Henry II
Henry II of England
Henry II ruled as King of England , Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland and western France. Henry, the great-grandson of William the Conqueror, was the...
had convened peers and bishops to formulate the Constitutions of Clarendon
Constitutions of Clarendon
The Constitutions of Clarendon were a set of legislative procedures passed by Henry II of England in 1164. The Constitutions were composed of 16 articles and represent an attempt to restrict ecclesiastical privileges and curb the power of the Church courts and the extent of Papal authority in England...
in 1164). In 1837, the post office opened. From then on and into the 1840s, when the timber industry started to prosper, a second wave of settlement occurred, doubling the population of Clarendon between 1840 and 1850.
In 1855, the Township Municipality
Types of municipalities in Quebec
The following is a list of the types of local and supralocal territorial units in Quebec, including those used solely for statistical purposes, as defined by the Institut de la Statistique du Québec....
of Clarendon was created. This style was reformed to Municipality of Clarendon on October 11, 2003.
Demographics
Population:- Population in 2006: 1248
- Population in 2001: 1340
- 2001 to 2006 population change: -6.9 %
- Population in 1996: 1474
- Population in 1991: 1489
Total private dwellings (excluding seasonal cottages): 485
Languages:
- English as first language: 81 %
- French as first language: 19 %