Old St. Andrew's Parish Church facts for kids

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Old St. Andrew's Parish Church
U.S. National Register of Historic Places

Old St. Andrew's in 2021
Location in South Carolina Show map of South Carolina Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Nearest city	Charleston, South Carolina
Area	12.9 acres (5.2 ha)
Built	1706
Architectural style	Colonial
NRHP reference No.	73001694
Added to NRHP	October 15, 1973

The church in 1858

Postcard of the church in 1907

Postcard of the church in 1936

Saint Andrew's Parish Church is a very old church located in Charleston, South Carolina. It sits on the west side of the Ashley River. Built in 1706, it is the oldest church building still standing south of Virginia. Its historic graveyard is just as old as the church itself.

In 1723, the church was made bigger to look like a cross. It is the only colonial church shaped like a cross that is still standing in South Carolina. People often call it Old St. Andrew's. In 1973, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The church is still an active place of worship today. It is connected to the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina and the Anglican Church in North America.

The Church's Early Years: 1700s

How the Church Started

In 1706, a law called the Church Act made the Church of England the official religion in the Carolina colony. This law created a system of "parishes." These parishes were like districts that handled both government and church duties.

Ten parishes were named, and St. Andrew's Parish Church was chosen to serve people living along the Ashley River. St. Andrew's Parish was a large area, about 280 square miles. It covered parts of what is now West Ashley and James Island.

People in the northern part of the parish found it hard to travel to church. So, in 1717, the parish was split in half. The northern part became St. George's, Dorchester. The new St. Andrew's Parish then covered today's West Ashley and James Island. It acted as a local government area until 1865.

The First Church Building

St. Andrew's Parish Church was built in 1706. It was made of brick and measured forty feet long and twenty-five feet wide. The roof was made of pine wood. It had two doors and five small, square windows.

A wider "great" door faced the river and was used by important people. A smaller "small" door faced west and was used by regular people and church leaders. It is believed that enslaved African people helped build the church. A seven-acre graveyard surrounded the church.

The first minister, Rev. Alexander Wood, arrived in 1708 but died two years later. The next minister, Rev. Ebenezer Taylor, served from 1712 to 1717. He had some problems with the church leaders and members. Taylor was a Presbyterian minister who became an Anglican minister. He was brought in to try and get more Presbyterians to join the Church of England.

However, Taylor did not get along with the Anglicans. He also worked with enslaved people on plantations, which was unusual for ministers at that time. During his time, there were also attacks from Native Americans during the Yamasee War. Eventually, the church leaders locked him out of the church. In 1717, Taylor was sent away to North Carolina.

Growing and Changing

Rev. William Guy became the minister in 1718 and served for 32 years until 1750. This was one of the longest times any minister served the church. Unlike Taylor, Reverend Guy was well-liked by his community.

He started the church's first official record book, which kept track of births, baptisms, marriages, and deaths. He also set up a small chapel on James Island. This made it easier for people living there to attend church.

As more people moved to the Ashley River area, the church built in 1706 became too small. Starting in 1723, the church was made much larger. It was expanded into the shape of a cross, which tripled its size. This expansion took more than ten years to complete.

New parts added included the chancel and transept at the east end. The church also got new windows and a special barrel-shaped ceiling. The old pine roof was replaced with cypress wood. The outside brick was covered with stucco to make it look like stone. The church became very elegant and beautiful.

Good Times and Challenges

The church and parish became very successful because of a strong economy. This was mainly due to growing rice. This success was only possible because of the slave labor system brought from the Barbados and the West Indies. In 1705, there were about 130 white families and 150 enslaved people along the Ashley River. By 1728, there were 800 free white people and 1,800 enslaved black people in the parish.

Rev. Charles Martyn became minister in 1752 and served until 1770. During his time, another important crop, indigo, was grown. Eliza Lucas Pinckney helped make indigo farming successful in St. Andrew's Parish. Growing both rice and indigo made the parish one of the richest areas in colonial British North America. More enslaved labor was needed, and by 1777, the enslaved population reached 3,460.

In the early 1760s, a big fire damaged the church. The wooden parts burned, but the brick walls from 1706 and 1723 remained standing. The church was fully repaired and reopened in 1764. The repairs were paid for by church members.

New features from this rebuilding included a beautiful altarpiece called a reredos at the east end. A balcony was rebuilt at the west end for people who couldn't afford to buy their own seats. The church also got a new stone and tile floor. The large window behind the altar was bricked in, and the reredos with the Lord's Prayer and Ten Commandments was added.

The American Revolution's Impact

The American Revolution greatly affected the church. In March 1780, British and Hessian troops camped in the churchyard. They were fighting colonial forces nearby. The church itself was "much Injured and pulled to pieces by the British Army." The minister's house was burned, and a chapel on James Island was destroyed. The war left a difficult situation for the parish.

The 1800s: Hardship and Renewal

Slow Recovery and Changes

After the war, church members worked to repair the church, rebuild the minister's house, and find a new minister. In 1787, Rev. Thomas Mills became the minister. He had fled England because he supported American independence. He served for 29 years, bringing some stability to the church.

The good times before the war were replaced by economic problems. Rice farming declined, and indigo was no longer competitive. St. Andrew's, like other rural parishes, still relied heavily on enslaved African American labor. About 90 percent of the population was enslaved. One person noted in the 1840s that the area looked "melancholy" and "desolate."

The church did not have a regular minister for many years. The building was even used as a place for voting until the 1830s. In 1831, the chapel on James Island became its own church, called St. James.

Ministry to Enslaved People

Rev. James Stuart Hanckel served the church from 1838 to 1851. He started a regular ministry to enslaved people, which was the first serious effort at St. Andrew's to reach out to African Americans on plantations. The church records from his time show many baptisms, confirmations, marriages, and burials for enslaved people.

Three chapels were built on plantations for religious teaching and worship. By the end of Hanckel's time, there were twice as many black church members as white members.

John Grimké Drayton took over as minister in 1851. He was a wealthy plantation owner and a dedicated priest. He served St. Andrew's for 40 years, the longest time of any minister. He continued Hanckel's work with enslaved people. From 1851 to 1859, black church members outnumbered white members five to one.

Church Repairs in 1855

When Drayton started, the church building was in bad shape. In 1855, it was fully restored under the leadership of Col. William Izard Bull. Many parts of the church's look today come from Bull's restoration.

The old high-backed pews were replaced with more modern low-backed pews. The pulpit and reading desk were moved to their current spots. The old stone and tile floor was replaced with large, square sandstone tiles.

The Civil War's Impact

Reverend Drayton stayed in the parish during the American Civil War. He held his last service at St. Andrew's on February 12, 1865. Soon after, Confederate forces left the area, and Union troops arrived.

Drayton returned to find his home burned, but his beautiful gardens were saved. Union forces used St. Andrew's Parish Church as a public meeting and voting place. Drayton could not even get into his own church.

A report after the war described the parish as a "desert." Almost every home on the west bank of the Ashley River was burned. It was thought it would take many years for people to return and rebuild.

After the War: Ministry to Freed People

After the war, many formerly enslaved black people left their old white churches. But in St. Andrew's Parish, they reunited with Rev. John Grimké Drayton. In 1867, Drayton met a group of freedmen who asked him to restart church services. This was a very important request.

Drayton began meeting with his black church members at the three plantation chapels. He preached to "overflowing congregations." White church members were almost nonexistent. By 1880, black church members in St. Andrew's Parish outnumbered whites eight to one.

Reopening and Challenges

Reverend Drayton reopened the parish church on March 26, 1876, eleven years after the Civil War ended. People traveled from Charleston by boat to attend services. Money for repairs likely came from selling land for phosphate mining.

Ten years after reopening, the church was badly damaged by the Great Charleston Earthquake of 1886. Its center was only seven miles north of the church. As Reverend Drayton's health got worse, his black congregation took on new leadership. Magwood's Chapel became known as St. Andrew's Mission Church. John Grimké Drayton died on April 2, 1891.

The 1900s: Quiet Times and New Beginnings

A Quiet Period

After Reverend Drayton died, no new minister was hired for 57 years. The church became quiet. Church leaders tried to keep the building safe from vandals. In 1916, they gave control of the church to the Diocese of South Carolina. The diocese made repairs over many years.

From 1923 to 1946, Rev. Wallace Martin held services sometimes. The church became a historical curiosity, and many postcards showed the empty Old St. Andrew's. In 1937, a decorative cherub and grapevines were added over the altarpiece. In 1940, the church was studied and photographed as part of a government program.

Reopening After World War II

With Old St. Andrew's closed, Episcopalians in the area started a new church called All Saints' Mission. They wanted to build a new church closer to their homes. But they couldn't make it happen. So, they reluctantly reopened St. Andrew's Parish Church on Easter Day, March 28, 1948. Rev. Lawton Riley became the priest in charge.

Soon after, termites were found in the church walls. The building had to close for repairs for almost two years. Old plaster was removed, and damaged pews and windows were fixed. The roof was painted, and a heater was installed. Electric lighting was added for the first time.

Paying for repairs was a constant challenge. The church sold some land it owned from colonial times. The church also held many fundraisers. The most famous one is the Tea Room. Ladies from the church would prepare the building for Sunday services. Visitors going to nearby plantations would ask where they could eat. So, the women started selling sandwiches, coffee, and desserts. The Tea Room and a Gift Shop have been a popular event for over seventy years.

Growth and Challenges

Rev. Lynwood Magee arrived in 1952. He led the church during a time of huge growth in the 1950s and 1960s. The number of church members quadrupled. In 1955, the church became a full parish again. A simple church hall was built in 1953 and then expanded twice to fit more members and Sunday school students.

Reverend Magee left in 1963. The next 22 years saw four different ministers. This time was difficult, with less money coming in and some internal problems.

The church got a needed makeover in 1969. The outside walls were repaired and repainted. The inside walls and pews were painted light blue. The sandstone floor had become uneven. When it was taken up, the older, more attractive 1764 tile floor was found underneath. This old floor was put back in place.

Rev. John Gilchrist (1970–81) brought new energy to the church. The front of the church hall was expanded. In 1973, Old St. Andrew's was added to the National Register of Historical Places. The church also celebrated the 25th anniversary of its 1948 reopening.

Renewed Confidence

The time with minister George Tompkins (1987-2006) brought much-needed stability. In 1989, Hurricane Hugo hit Charleston. The church building was spared, but the church hall was damaged. Over 200 trees in the churchyard fell, and gravestones were knocked over. Cleaning up and repairing everything took more than a year. The blue walls and pews inside the church were repainted white.

By the end of the 1990s, Old St. Andrew's had 701 members. This was 21 percent more than at the start of the decade.

The 2000s: Big Restoration and Future

Major Restoration and 300th Anniversary

As the year 2000 approached, the church began planning for its 300th anniversary in 2006. Engineers checked the building and found serious problems. The walls were leaning outwards, and the roof supports were weak. The effects of the 1886 earthquake were still visible. The report said the roof was a "life safety concern."

The repairs were estimated to cost $1.2 million. The church was closed for about a year starting in April 2004. Almost the entire building was restored. The church reopened on Easter Day 2005.

The church celebrated its 300th anniversary with events throughout 2005-2006. Reverend Tompkins resigned in March 2006. Rev. Marshall Huey was chosen as the church's 19th minister and started his role on November 5, 2006.

Church Life Today

The church's most urgent financial goal was to pay off the $729,000 mortgage from the restoration. They did this in just six years. The relationship between Old St. Andrew's and St. Andrew's Mission Church (which started as Magwood's Chapel in 1845) became stronger.

The first Easter Sunrise service was held at Drayton Hall with St. Andrew's Mission Church. It later moved to Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, where it continues today. In 2008, a Family Service was started to appeal to families with young children. The church also expanded its missionary work. In 2020, cameras and microphones were installed to livestream worship services during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

Church Connections

In 2012, Old St. Andrew's and other churches in the diocese faced a legal issue. The Diocese of South Carolina decided to separate from the Episcopal Church. After a period of discussion in early 2013, members of Old St. Andrew's voted to stay with the diocese and leave the national church. Most of the diocese's churches also left the Episcopal Church. In 2017, the diocese and Old St. Andrew's joined the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA).

For ten years, there were legal battles over who owned the church properties. On May 24, 2023, the South Carolina Supreme Court ruled that Old St. Andrew's owns its property, not the Episcopal Church.

Rectors

1 Alexander Wood (1708-10)
2 Ebenezer Taylor (1712-17)
3 William Guy (1718-50)
4 Charles Martyn (1753-70)
5 Thomas Panting (1770-71)
6 Christopher Ernst Schwab (1771-73)
7 Thomas Mills (1787-1816)
8 Joseph M. Gilbert (1824)
9 Paul Trapier (1830-35)
10 Jasper Adams (1835-38)
11 James Stuart Hanckel (1841-49, 1849-51)
12 John Grimké Drayton (1851-91)
13 Lynwood Cresse Magee (1955-63)
14 John L. Kelly (1963-66)
15 Howard Taylor Cutler (1967-70)
16 John Ernest Gilchrist (1970-81)
17 Geoffrey Robert Imperatore (1982-85)
18 George Johnson Tompkins III (1987-2006)
19 Stewart Marshall Huey Jr. (2006-)