AMERICA’S COLONIAL ANGLICAN CHURCHES – A ROYAL LEGACY

So you watched the royal wedding this weekend, and now you have a hankering to visit a good old-fashion Anglican Church? Well, you came to the right place.  Most of America’s oldest churches come from the Anglican tradition.  They date from a time when the official religion of the Mother Country was the Church of England, a faith that dominated about half of the original thirteen American colonies.  Following are some of the most historic survivors of that pre-Revolutionary War period, some of which still bear the stamp of their royal heritage.  (Note – only intact churches that were completed prior to 1776 are included in this list).

Old Trinity Church

Church Creek, Maryland (1675)

Web: www.oldtrinity.net (official website)

Old Trinity Church, the namesake for Church Creek, Maryland, enjoys the distinction of being the oldest fully intact church in continuous use in the United States, and is among the oldest surviving churches overall.  Founded as a parish of the Church of England in 1675, it remains actively in use by the Episcopal Church.

Old Trinity has had a long and reasonably quiet history for over three centuries.  Among its congregants was Thomas Carroll, governor of Maryland in the early 1830s.  The church has been renovated several times, with the renovation in the 1950s restoring it to its original style and splendor.

St. Luke’s Church

Smithfield, Virginia (1682)

Web: www.historicstlukes.org (official website)

St. Luke’s Church in Smithfield has traditionally been recognized as the oldest intact Protestant church in the United States. However, recent investigations indicate it may be a few decades younger than previously thought.  Nevertheless, it is still among the very oldest American churches, sharing its heritage with churches in nearby Jamestown and Williamsburg.

There is a bit of controversy concerning the actual age of St. Luke’s Church.  By some estimates, the style and quality of the church is simply too good for having been completed at such an early date.  Moreover, the dating on the bricks may be read as 1682 rather than 1632.  While architectural experts seem to lean towards the latter year, traditionalists stubbornly cling to the earlier date.  A compromise suggests that the original church was built in the 1630s, and was either rebuilt or considerably renovated in the 1680s.  St. Luke’s was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1960, a Virginia State Landmark in 1969 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1966.

Old St. Mary’s Episcopal Church

Burlington, New Jersey (1703)

Web: www.stmarysburlington.org (official website)

St. Mary’s Episcopal Church is the oldest Episcopal church still standing in New Jersey.  Built in 1703, it is also known as Old St. Mary’s, to distinguish it from the New St. Mary’s Church which was completed in 1854.  Old St. Mary’s is still owned and maintained by the St. Mary’s congregation.  The two churches are neighbors and share a graveyard where a number of prominent people are buried.

St. Mary’s Episcopal Church is the oldest Episcopal church still standing in New Jersey.  Built in 1703, it is also known as Old St. Mary’s, to distinguish it from the New St. Mary’s Church which was completed in 1854.  Old St. Mary’s is still owned and maintained by the St. Mary’s congregation.  The two churches are neighbors and share a graveyard where a number of prominent people are buried.

Old St. Andrew’s Parish Church

Charleston, South Carolina (1706)

Web: www.oldstandrews.org (official website)

Old St. Andrew’s Parish Church is the oldest church in South Carolina and one of the oldest buildings in the South.  Although technically located in Charleston, it is actually across the Ashley River a few miles from the historic district.  St. Andrew’s location played a small role in the expansion of the original Charles Town settlement.

Old St. Andrew’s was an important center of life in West Charleston until after the Civil War, when slavery ended and the local plantation economy collapsed.  However, while the community declined, the church remained standing, until it was put back into use after World War II.  It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.

Bruton Parish Church

Williamsburg, Virginia (1715)

Web: www.brutonparish.org (official website)

Bruton Parish Church is the church of Colonial Williamsburg.  One of the oldest completely intact churches in the United States, it was politically one of the most important churches in the colonies thanks to Williamsburg’s position as Virginia’s colonial capital for many years.  A number of its members were key figures in the American Revolution, and the congregation was instrumental in the founding of the neighboring College of William and Mary.

After the American Revolution, the state capital was moved to Richmond, the Church of England lost its influence in the United States, and as a result of both Bruton Parish Church lost much of its former stature.  However, its congregation remained both large and active, and the church was restored in the 20^th century.  Bruton Parish Church was designated a National Historic Landmark and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970, and was named a Virginia Landmark in 1973.

Old North Church

Boston, Massachusetts (1723)

Web: http://oldnorth.com (official website)

The Old North Church is, in the hearts of many Americans, the definitive church of the American Revolution.  It was here that the famous lantern signal was lit to warn the local militia of the imminent attack by the British army.  It is not only the oldest church still standing in Boston’s historic district, but also the oldest still in use, and is part of the city’s Freedom Trail tour.

Since that historic night, the Old North Church has achieved a near mythical status in American culture.  Maintained by the congregation as a regular place of worship, it has been visited by dignitaries, politicians, presidents and even British royalty.  The church was designated a Historic Landmark in 1961 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1966.

St. John’s Episcopal Church

Hampton, Virginia (1728)

Web: www.stjohnshampton.org (official website)

St. John’s Episcopal Church was the second Anglican parish founded in Virginia after Jamestown, but the oldest that is still active, also making it the oldest continually active English-speaking congregation in America.  It is one of the four churches, along with those of Jamestown, Williamsburg and Smithfield, that collectively form the cradle of the Episcopal Church in the United States.

By the early 18^th century, the center of Hampton moved to its current location, and St. John’s Church was constructed in 1728.  Over the next century, St. John’s was badly damaged in three separate wars (the American Revolution, the War of 1812, and the American Civil War), possibly the only church in America to have such a distinction.  The main building survived and was restored in 1870.  It was designated a Virginia State Landmark in 1969 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970.

St. Thomas Episcopal Church

Bath, North Carolina (1734)

Web: http://stthomasparishnc.org (official website)

St. Thomas Episcopal Church is the oldest standing church in North Carolina, and one of the oldest continually active churches in the South.  It is the parish church of the town of Bath, one of North Carolina’s oldest settlements.

During its first few decades, Bath functioned without a church, with members of the community meeting in private homes.  The first church was not completed until 1734.  Amazingly, that church is still standing (it may be the oldest surviving parish church in the United States without a predecessor).  It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970.

St. John’s Church

Richmond, Virginia (1741)

Web: http://historicstjohnschurch.org (official website)

St. John’s Church is the oldest and most historic church in the city of Richmond.  Home to one of Virginia’s earliest inland Anglican parishes, the church played a critical role in the years leading up to the American Revolution.  The Second and Third Virginia Conventions were held here in 1775, and it was at the former that Patrick Henry made his immortal declaration to be given liberty or death.

During the war, Richmond was occupied, and the church was used as a base by Benedict Arnold.  In later years, St. John’s was an important center of life in Richmond, with prominent members of the congregation including the family of Edgar Allen Poe.  St. John’s Church was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1961, a Virginia State Landmark in 1969 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1966.

Christ Church

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (1744)

Web: www.christchurchphila.org (official website)

Christ Church of Philadelphia is one of the oldest and grandest churches of the Anglican Communion still standing in the United States, and is considered to be the birthplace of the American Episcopal Church. At the time of its founding in 1695, it was the first congregation of the Church of England in the Pennsylvania colony.  For years the church building was the largest in America, and for a time it was the tallest building in North America.  Many members of its congregation played a prominent role in the American Revolution.

Christ Church remained an important center of the Episcopal Church during America’s early years.  The Episcopal Book of Common Prayer was produced here, and many of the early Episcopal bishops were consecrated here.  Considered by many to be the mother church of the American Episcopal Church, it is one of the country’s most historically important houses of worship.  It received a Pennsylvania State Museum Commission historic marker in 1954, and was designated as a National Historic Landmark and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970.

King’s Chapel

Boston, Massachusetts (1754)

Web: www.kings-chapel.org (official website)

King’s Chapel is the direct descendent church from Boston’s original Anglican parish founded in the late 17^th century.  Although the current building dates from the 1700s, it stands on the same spot as its predecessor.  Although not technically affiliated with the chapel, the adjacent King’s Chapel Burying Ground is commonly associated with the church and is the site of the graves of a number of prominent early Bostonians.

The original church was replaced with the current building in 1754. Attended by many Anglicans who were Loyalists, King’s Chapel was forced to close during the American Revolution.  After the war, the chapel reopened, ultimately becoming a Unitarian institution with Anglican influences.  King’s Chapel was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1960 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.

St. Paul’s Chapel

New York, New York (1764)

Web: www.trinitywallstreet.org (official website)

St. Paul’s Chapel in Lower Manhattan (not to be confused with St. Paul’s Chapel at Columbia University) is the oldest standing house of worship on the island of Manhattan.  Completed in 1766, its historic importance spans the breadth of American history, from George Washington’s inauguration to the terrorist attacks of 2001.  St. Paul’s Chapel is home to one of the two original Anglican (now Episcopal) congregations in New York City.

It is also home to a makeshift memorial, with many artifacts and artwork related to the attacks on display inside.  Mayor Rudolph Giuliani gave his farewell speech here in December 2001.  A service was held here in 2006 on the fifth anniversary of the attacks, attended by prominent political figures including President George Bush.  St. Paul’s Chapel was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1960, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1966.

Pohick Church

Lorton, Virginia (1774)

Web: www.pohick.org (official website)

Pohick Church is home to one of the oldest Episcopal parishes in northern Virginia.  Dating back to the 17^th century, it was closely associated with George Washington and others in his family who were members and who contributed to the construction of the church.  It is also one of the oldest surviving churches in the Washington DC area.

The church went into decline after the American Revolution, was sacked by the British in the War of 1812, and occupied and used as a stable by Union troops during the American Civil War.  Nevertheless it miraculously remained an active church.  Pohick Church was designated a Virginia State Landmark in 1968 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1969.