Chapel of the Cross (Mannsdale, Mississippi) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Chapel of the Cross
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 Location in Mississippi
Location in the United States
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| Location | 674 Mannsdale Road Madison, Mississippi |
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| Area | 10 acres (4.0 ha) |
| Built | 1850–52 |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| Website | http://chapelofthecrossms.org/ |
| NRHP reference No. | 72000698 |
| Added to NRHP | June 13, 1972 |
The Chapel of the Cross is an old and beautiful Episcopal church. It is located in the Mannsdale area of Madison, Mississippi. This brick church was built around 1850–1852. It was constructed by people who were forced to work. The chapel is famous for its Gothic Revival style. This style looks like old English country churches from the 1300s. The Chapel of the Cross was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. This means it is a very important historical building.
Contents
Discovering the Chapel's Past
The church was first planned as a place of worship for the Johnstone family. They lived on a large farm called Annandale Plantation. This plantation no longer exists. John T. Johnstone moved to Madison County, Mississippi, in 1819. He started Annandale and other farms where people were forced to work. It is said that Johnstone's family came from a noble Scottish family. He named his plantation Annandale in their honor. John T. Johnstone wanted a chapel for his plantation. However, he passed away in 1848 before it could be built. After his death, his wife Margaret began making plans for the church.
Building the Chapel: Who Designed It?
We don't have many old records about how the church was built. But many experts believe that an architect named Frank Wills designed the Chapel of the Cross. He was born in England. What we do know for sure is that Wills drew a very similar church. This drawing was called "Sketch of a First-pointed church." It appeared in a magazine called the New York Ecclesiologist in October 1849. Other churches that look almost the same were designed by Richard Upjohn. For example, his St. Thomas Episcopal Church (around 1849) in New York City and St. Mary's Episcopal Church (around 1847) in Rhode Island are very similar.
Construction and Dedication
Margaret Johnstone had much of the work done by people who were enslaved on her plantation. These individuals made all the bricks by hand right there on the site. Other skilled workers were hired to help with the construction. Margaret Johnstone spent about $3,000 on the project. In June 1851, she gave the church and 10 acres of land to the Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi. The church building was officially opened on September 19, 1852. This ceremony was led by William Mercer Green. He was the first Episcopal bishop of Mississippi.
Changes Over Time
Margaret Johnstone died in 1880. Her plantation was then sold. The large Annandale mansion, which had 40 rooms, was built by her in the mid-1850s. It was empty for some time. Sadly, it burned down on September 9, 1924.
After Johnstone's death, the church was sometimes used and sometimes not. In 1903, the diocese said the church was no longer active. But Margaret Britton Parsons, who was a granddaughter of John and Margaret Johnstone, convinced them to reopen it in 1911. It was officially given back to the diocese in 1914. Since then, priests have been in charge of the church. The diocese started to restore the chapel in 1956. In 1979, the church received a $50,000 grant. This money helped finish the restoration work.
Exploring Local Legends and Ghost Stories
The Chapel of the Cross has a famous ghost story connected to it. This story has been told in several books. The Chapel of the Cross and Annandale are part of a short story called "The Ghosts of Annandale." This story is found in a book by Kathryn Tucker Windham. It tells two different ghost stories.
The Ghosts of Annandale Mansion
The first story is about Annie Devlin. She was a governess, which means she taught and cared for children. Annie died at the Annandale mansion in June 1860. People said her ghost haunted the mansion until it burned down in 1924.
The Tragic Love Story of Helen and Henry
The second story is about Helen Johnstone and her fiancé, Henry Grey Vick. Helen was the youngest daughter of John and Margaret Johnstone. Henry was related to the person who founded Vicksburg. They met at Helen's sister's home in December 1855. They became engaged to be married in 1857. Their wedding day was set for May 21, 1859. However, Henry was killed in a duel in Mobile, Alabama on May 17, 1859. A duel was a fight with weapons between two people. Henry's body was brought back to Annandale. He was buried in the churchyard behind the church. The story claims that Helen's ghost now cries at his grave. This same folklore is also shared in other books about haunted places.
