St. George's Church (Pungoteague, Virginia) facts for kids
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St. George's Church
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St. George's Church in 2008
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 Location in Virginia
Location in the United States
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| Location | VA 178, NE of jct. with VA 180, Pungoteague, Virginia |
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| Area | 9.9 acres (4.0 ha) |
| Built | 1738, 1880 |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| NRHP reference No. | 70000781 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | September 15, 1970 |
St. George's Church is a very old and important church located in Pungoteague, Virginia, in Accomack County, Virginia. It's an Episcopal Church, which is a type of Christian church. The building you see today was built in 1738, but the church itself started even earlier, in the 1600s! It's the oldest church building still standing on Virginia's Eastern Shore. Because of its history, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970.
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What is the History of St. George's Church?
How Did the Church Start?
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The Anglican faith, which is now called the Episcopal faith, came to Virginia's Eastern Shore a long time ago. English settlers brought it with them when they moved from the Jamestown Settlement in the 1620s.
King Debedeavon, a Native American leader, welcomed these English traders and settlers. The English built a courthouse and a church called Hungars Church further down the coast. Smaller churches, sometimes called "chapels of ease," were built near other settlements. One of these was near a Native American village that later became Pungoteague, Virginia. This small church was the start of St. George's Church.
When Was the Current Building Built?
The first church building on this spot was likely made of logs or wood and was standing by 1678. In the mid-1730s, people started building a new, bigger church at Pungoteague. This new building was finished around 1738. It was one of the most beautiful churches in the Colony of Virginia at that time.
After the American Revolution, the Church of England (which became the Episcopal Church) was no longer supported by the government in Virginia. This meant priests didn't get government money for their salaries. Many church buildings fell apart, but some were fixed later as the local economy got better. St. George's Church still has a silver communion set from 1734–35!
What Happened During the Civil War?
During the American Civil War, the Union Army took control of the Eastern Shore. Union soldiers camped near St. George's Church to protect a telephone line. They even kept their horses inside the church! This caused a lot of damage to the church's wooden seats, called box pews.
By the end of the Civil War, St. George's Church was in ruins. One of its four sections was completely gone, and everything inside was destroyed. In 1880, Episcopalians worked to fix the church. They used parts of the old walls to repair the remaining section, which is what you see today.
What Does St. George's Church Look Like?
St. George's Church was designed in the Georgian style, which was popular for buildings in the 1700s. Originally, it was shaped like a cross (called "cruciform"). It had a special table for communion facing east, and tall, enclosed seats called box pews. It also had a high pulpit for the preacher and a rounded section at the end called an apse.
The entire building had a unique roof style called a "hipped, gambrel roof." The bricks were laid in a special pattern called "flemish bond" with darker, shiny bricks mixed in. The only picture we have of what the church looked like originally is a sketch from 1819.
Is St. George's Church Still Used Today?
Yes! St. George's Church is still an active church today. It is part of the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia. The same priest, Reverend Cameron Randle, leads services at St. George's and also at nearby St. James Church in Accomac, Virginia.
Images for kids
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St. George's Church in 2008
