Saint Stephen's Episcopal Church (Forest, Virginia) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Saint Stephen's Episcopal Church
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Saint Stephens Episcopal Church located in Bedford County, Virginia.
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| Location | Forest, Virginia |
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| Built | c. 1844 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 85002766 |
| Added to NRHP | 1985 |
Saint Stephen's Episcopal Church is a very old church in Forest, Virginia. It was started in 1824 by Nicholas Hamner Cobbs. This historic building sits on land that once belonged to former President Thomas Jefferson. The church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.
Contents
Church History
How the Church Started
Saint Stephen's Episcopal Church began in 1824. It was founded by Nicholas Hamner Cobbs. This makes it the second oldest Episcopal Church in the Lynchburg area. The land it stands on was once part of the Poplar Forest property. This property was owned by Thomas Jefferson.
From 1824 to 1839, Cobbs was also the leader, or Rector, of Trinity Episcopal Church. That church was in Boonsboro. He would ride his horse from there to Saint Stephen's to lead Sunday services. He continued this until he left in 1839.
Nicholas Hamner Cobbs
Nicholas Hamner Cobbs grew up in the Bedford area. He came from a good family. His mother was a very religious person. Cobbs loved to study and taught locally from a young age. By the time he was seventeen, people saw him as a hard-working and faithful man. Cobbs was also the principal of the New London Academy. He worked there from 1824 to 1830.
Building the Church
The first church building was finished in 1825. It was built on land from the Poplar Forest estate. This land had been owned by former President Thomas Jefferson. He later gave it to his oldest daughter, Martha Jefferson Randolph, in 1790.
The land was then sold to Elizabeth Moseley Radford. She later donated it to the church. The original building was taken down. The church building you see today stands in its place.
In the same year, William Radford and Elizabeth Moseley Radford gave more land to the church. This extra land made the church property bigger. It also provided a cemetery for church members. This cemetery is still used today.
Challenges and Repairs
In March 1898, a strong wind storm hit the church. The storm damaged the building and almost closed it for good. The south wall had fallen in, which made the whole structure weak. Luckily, the church was repaired. Both the church members and the community helped fix it.
In 1911, the church temporarily closed because there wasn't enough money for repairs. Even though it was closed, some services were still held sometimes.
In 1941, a person named Malcolm Griffin helped restore the church. It was then reopened. Since that time, services have been held there regularly. In 2004, the church had another renovation project. This project made the choir area larger. It also expanded the front area where the preaching happens.
The church was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. The old house where the church leader lived, called the Old Rectory, was listed in 1973.
Inside the Church
Original Features
Saint Stephen's Church still has many of its original items. These include the wooden benches, called pews. The altar rail and the Bishop's chair are also still there. All the doors and windows are the ones that were first installed.
In 1897, a balcony area at the back of the church was removed. However, the side door entrance from that area is still there. In the same year, a wooden ceiling was added. A special recessed area for the altar, called a chancel, was also built. It is thought that the marble font used for baptisms was put in around this time. This is because its base has a label from Lynchburg Marble Works, a company that was open from 1879 to 1883.
Memorial Gifts
When the church reopened in the 1940s, new items were given as gifts to remember people. These included the current altar. The chairs for the Priest and Bishop were also given. These chairs were designed by local artists Julian and George Lindsey. The altar cross and the prayer stand were also gifts. The beautiful Tiffany stained glass window above the altar was paid for by donations. Ethel Dirom helped collect the money for it.
Church Design
The church building is one story tall. It has three main sections and a small basement. The outside is covered in large bricks. It has a Greek Revival style. This style often includes features like columns and simple, strong shapes. The church has a low-pitched roof with a wooden cross at the top. The building is 36 feet wide and 61 feet long.
