Christ Church (Guilford, Vermont) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Christ Church
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(2013)
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 Location in Vermont
Location in the United States
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| Location | Calvin Coolidge Mem. Hwy. (US Route 5) & Melendy Hill Rd. Guilford, Vermont |
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| Area | 2 acres (0.81 ha) |
| Built | 1817 |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 82001707 |
| Added to NRHP | May 13, 1982 |
Christ Church is a very old and important building in Guilford, Vermont. It stands at the corner of Melendy Hill Road and US Route 5. This church was built in 1817. It was the very first Episcopal church ever built in Vermont. Later, it was updated with a special look called Gothic Revival style. Because of its history, Christ Church was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 13, 1982. Today, the Episcopal Diocese of Vermont owns the church. A local group helps take care of it.
Contents
What Christ Church Looks Like
Christ Church sits on a small hill. It is just south of the main part of Guilford village. From the church, you can see Broad Brook. You can also see where Melendy Hill Road meets United States Route 5.
The church is made of wood. It has one main floor. The roof is shaped like a triangle, which is called a gabled roof. The outside walls are covered with overlapping wooden boards. These are called clapboard siding. The church sits on a strong brick base.
The Church's Front Tower
The front of the church has a tall, square tower. This tower sticks out from the building. It rises about 60 feet (18 meters) high. The tower has two main parts, or stages.
The bottom part of the tower is very tall. It has the main door at its base. This door is framed by flat columns called pilasters. Above the door, there is a window shaped like a half-circle. This is called a fanlight window. Higher up, there are more windows. These also have half-round fan shapes above them. The top of this lower part has a decorative edge called a cornice. It also has a low wall called a parapet. At each corner of the parapet, there are small pointed decorations called pinnacles.
The top part of the tower is smaller. This is where the church bell is kept. It has round openings with slats, called louver openings. These are on each side. This top part also has a similar parapet and pinnacles. These same decorative details are repeated along the top edge of the main church building.
The History of Christ Church
The church was built in 1817. All the materials used to build it came from the local area. When it was first built, it looked like another Episcopal church. That church was in Greenfield, Massachusetts, but it is no longer standing.
A bronze bell was put into the church in 1830. In 1837, the church got its new look. This is when the Gothic Revival style was added. During this time, the original high pulpit was made lower. Four of the old box pews (church benches with high sides) were removed to make space.
Church Congregation Changes
At first, the church members were part of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts. Then, in 1832, the Episcopal Diocese of Vermont was created. Christ Church became part of this new diocese.
Over time, the number of people attending the church slowly became smaller. This was similar to how the town itself was changing. Before the 1900s, Christ Church stopped being an active church. However, it has never been officially "un-churched." It is still used sometimes for Episcopal church services.
Today, the Christ Church Guilford Society takes care of the building. They have restored it. They mostly use it for music concerts and other cultural events. It is also a popular place for weddings and civil unions.
More to Explore
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Windham County, Vermont
- Christ Church (disambiguation)
