Bremo Slave Chapel facts for kids
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Bremo Slave Chapel
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Bremo Slave Chapel in January 2008
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 Location in Virginia
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| Location | Bremo Bluff, Virginia |
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| Area | 1 acre |
| Built | 1835 |
| Architect | John Hartwell Cocke |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 80004189 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | March 17, 1980 |
The Bremo Slave Chapel, built in 1835, is a special building located in Bremo Bluff, Virginia, in the United States. It is the only known chapel in Virginia that was built specifically for enslaved people. This building has a Gothic Revival style, which means it looks like older European churches.
Originally, the chapel was a place of worship for the enslaved people who lived at the Bremo Plantation. The owner of the plantation, General John Hartwell Cocke, wanted his enslaved workers to have religious and moral guidance.
The chapel was moved from its first spot in the late 1800s. Today, it is used as the parish hall for Grace Episcopal Church in Bremo Bluff. The Bremo Slave Chapel was recognized as an important historical site in December 1979 by the Virginia Landmarks Register. It was also added to the National Register of Historic Places in March 1980.
History of the Chapel
General John Hartwell Cocke owned enslaved people at Bremo Plantation. However, he did not agree with slavery itself. He believed it was his duty to teach his enslaved workers and eventually help them return to Africa.
Cocke first built a brick building for his enslaved workers in 1825. They had already been meeting for worship since 1821. In 1834, Cocke started building the chapel, which looked like a schoolhouse. He hired a student from Princeton Theological Seminary to teach the enslaved people.
However, the teacher left by September 1835. This was because many local people were against teaching enslaved people. Teaching enslaved people to read and write was against the law in Virginia at that time. Cocke later found a young minister named Courtland Van Rensselaer to lead services for his enslaved workers. Van Rensselaer officially opened the chapel for them in November 1837.
After Slavery Ended
After the American Civil War ended and slavery was abolished, the chapel was not used for some time. John Hartwell Cocke died in 1866. The plantation then went to his son, Cary Charles Cocke.
In 1881, Cary Charles Cocke and others bought land in Bremo Bluff. This is where the chapel is now. By February 14, 1884, the building had been moved to the center of Bremo Bluff. It was then dedicated as Grace Church by Bishop Alfred M. Randolph of the Episcopal Church.
Church services were held there until a new brick church was built in 1924. The chapel was then moved a short distance north. In 1925, a falling tree badly damaged it. After a lot of repair work, the chapel has been used as the parish hall ever since.
Chapel Design
The person who designed the Bremo Slave Chapel is not fully known. However, it is thought to be John Hartwell Cocke himself. The building has a rectangular brick base. It measures about 24 feet (7.4 meters) by 43 feet (13.2 meters).
The roof is a simple gable style, covered with slate shingles. There are three chimneys. The outside walls are made with a style called board and batten. The main entrance on the east side has double doors in the Gothic Revival style. The chapel's sash windows also have arched tops, matching the Gothic look.
Inside, the building has an auditorium, a sanctuary (a holy place), and a kitchen in the back. The chapel was changed quite a bit when it was moved in the late 1800s. A vestry (a room for clergy) was added in the 1900s. In 1966, brick steps and an iron railing were added to the front of the chapel.
See also
