Old Christ Church (Laurel, Delaware) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Old Christ Church
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Christ Church in 1960
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 Location in Delaware
Location in the United States
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| Location | Southeast of Laurel at junction of Roads 465 and 465A, near Laurel, Delaware |
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| Built | 1772 |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| NRHP reference No. | 72000297 |
| Added to NRHP | April 13, 1972 |
Old Christ Church, also called Old Lightwood, is a historic Episcopal church located near Laurel, Delaware. It's in Sussex County, Delaware. This church was built in 1772. It looks similar to its "parent" church, Green Hill Church in Maryland. However, Green Hill Church is made of brick, while Old Christ Church is built from wood. Its old, weathered look gave it the nickname "Old Lightwood." Today, it is painted a barn red color.
History of Old Christ Church
The town of Laurel didn't exist when the colony of Maryland first set up its church districts, called parishes, in 1692. Records say that the last Native Americans in Delaware left the Chipman's Pond area around 1748. This area later became the spot where Old Christ Church was built.
By 1772, a small community had grown there. It included a mill, a store, some houses, and a place that made iron. The large Stepney Parish of the Church of England collected money from its members. Robert Houston then built this church as a "chapel of ease." This meant it was a smaller church built for people who lived far from the main parish church. It was often simply called "Broad Creek Chapel."
However, both Maryland and Delaware claimed this area. It was a remote place known for its many tall pine trees. This argument led to a clear border being drawn. This border is known as the Transpeninsular Line and the Mason–Dixon line. These lines placed the church in Delaware. After that, it became known as the "Mother Church" for the western part of Sussex County, Delaware.
By 1821, a minister named Rev. Daniel Higbee was chosen to lead this church and four others. St. Peter's Church in Lewes, Delaware paid him $180 each year. Old Christ Church and three other churches paid him $120 annually. These other churches included Prince George's Chapel in Dagsboro, Delaware. That chapel started in 1755 and was also part of the border dispute. The others were St. Paul's Church in Georgetown, Delaware, and St. George's Chapel south of Lewes.
At one time, people paid five dollars a year to rent a pew (a church bench) at Old Christ Church. This church also helped to start other churches nearby. These include St. Phillips in Laurel in 1834, St. Luke's in Seaford, Delaware in 1835, and St. John's Little Hill. It also helped start St. Mark's in Millsboro in 1848, and All Saints in Delmar in 1886. This happened as the railroad came through the Delmarva Peninsula, bringing more people and money to the area. Four Delaware governors were members of this church: Nathaniel Mitchell (who is buried there), William B. Cooper, William H. H. Ross, and Elbert N. Carvel.
Church Architecture
The church building is about 40-foot (12 m) long and 60-foot (18 m) wide. It has been repaired and painted on the outside. The church is special because its inside is still very simple and original. It is one of only about a dozen churches on the Atlantic Coast of the United States that has never had indoor plumbing or electricity added.
Only the window frames are painted inside. The pulpit, where the minister speaks, is in the middle of the north wall. The altar, a special table, is at the east end of the church. The church has "box pews," which are tall benches with doors for each family's section. These sections used to have names written on them in chalk. The ceiling is shaped like a flattened barrel.
There is also a balcony, called a gallery, at the west end of the church. You can reach it by stairs. This gallery was once used by enslaved people and free Black people. It had seats, but no back rests.
Current Status
Old Christ Church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. This means it is recognized as an important historic site. Church services are held there once a month during the summer. They are also held sometimes in the fall.
See also
- Chipman's Mill was located across the dam from the church.
