Pompion Hill Chapel facts for kids
|
Pompion Hill Chapel
|
|
.jpg)
Pompion Hill Chapel
|
|
 Location in South Carolina
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 0.5 mi. SW of jct. of SC 41 and 402, Huger, South Carolina |
|---|---|
| Area | 5 acres (2.0 ha) |
| Built | 1763 |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| NRHP reference No. | 70000567 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
|
| Added to NRHP | April 15, 1970 |
| Designated NHL | April 15, 1970 |
Pompion Hill Chapel, pronounced "punkin," is a small, historic church located near Huger, South Carolina. It was built way back in 1763. This chapel is special because it's a nearly perfect example of an old brick church from the Georgian era. It still looks much like it did when it was first built, both inside and out! In 1970, it was recognized as a National Historic Landmark, meaning it's a really important place in American history.
What is Pompion Hill Chapel?
Pompion Hill Chapel sits in a quiet, countryside area. It overlooks the Cooper River, a few miles southwest of the small town of Huger. The chapel is a rectangular building made of brick, with a unique roof shape called a "clipped-gable." It measures about 35 feet by 48 feet.
The bricks are laid in a special pattern called "Flemish bond," which makes the walls very strong and pretty. The roof is made of original slate tiles. The chapel has two main entrances, one on each of its longer sides, right in the middle.
All the doors and windows have cool rounded tops, and the windows even have fan-shaped glass designs above them. A small section called a "chancel" sticks out from the eastern end of the building. This part has its own gable roof and a beautiful "Palladian window," which is a large window with three parts. The whole building is designed in the Georgian style, which was popular in the 1700s.
Inside the Chapel
Step inside Pompion Hill Chapel and you'll find a brick floor laid out in a cool herringbone pattern. The walkways crossing the chapel are made of red tiles placed diagonally. The walls are smooth plaster, and they rise up to a curved ceiling.
What's really amazing is that almost all the wooden parts and furniture inside are original! This includes the pews where people sit and the pulpit where the minister speaks. The only major change to the building was fixing up a small room at the western end called the "vestry." They even used the original bricks to rebuild it, so it still looks just like it did centuries ago.
History of the Chapel
The Pompion Hill Chapel was built between 1763 and 1765. It wasn't the first church on this spot, though! It replaced an older wooden church.
Back in 1706, the Province of South Carolina (which was a British colony at the time) officially became Anglican. This meant the Church of England was the main church. The church built here became the center of St. Thomas' Parish. A "parish" was like a local church district, and the province was divided into nine of these.
The new brick church was built by a mason named William Axson. The bricks for the chapel came from a nearby place called Parnassus Plantation, provided by Zachariah Villepontoux. Imagine building a church with bricks made right there in the area!
See also
