St. John's Episcopal Church (Hampton, Virginia) facts for kids
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St. John's Episcopal Church
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Looking North at St. John's Episcopal Church
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 Location in Virginia
Location in the United States
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| Location | Northwest corner of W. Queen and Court Sts., Hampton, Virginia |
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| Area | 9.9 acres (4.0 ha) |
| Built | 1728/1610 |
| Architect | Henry Cary Jr. |
| Architectural style | Georgian with Flemish Bond brickwork |
| NRHP reference No. | 70000871 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | February 26, 1970 |
St. John's is an Episcopal church in Hampton, Virginia. It is part of the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia. Started in 1610, St. John's is the oldest English-speaking church parish that has been active continuously in the United States.
History of St. John's Church
English settlers from Jamestown created a community and church. This happened on the tip of the Virginia Peninsula on July 9, 1610. This was one month after Lord De La Warr arrived at Jamestown. His supplies helped end a very difficult time there called the "Starving Time." The new settlement was named after the Algonquian-speaking Kecoughtan people. They lived in the area.
First Church Site (1610–1623)
Digs in the Church Creek area of Hampton show where the first English settlements were. They were near where LaSalle and Chesapeake Avenues are today. The first minister of the new church was Reverend William Mease. The Bishop of London chose him to lead the church at Kecoughtan. A historical marker on LaSalle Avenue shows where this first church likely stood.
Second Church Site (1623–1667)
In 1619, the settlement was renamed Elizabeth Cittie. By 1623, the town had moved east of the Hampton River. The second church for "Elizabeth City" parish was built there. This spot is now inside the grounds of Hampton University. The church was left empty in 1667 after a third church was built.
The foundations of this second church were found in 1910. It was a small wooden building, and a front entrance was added later. Today, you can see the original foundations and some of the brick floor. There is also information, pictures, and a historical marker. Items found during the digging are shown in the St. John's Parish House museum.
Third Church Site (1667–1728)
The third church building was built more than a mile west of the second church. It was at "Westwoods Town Quarter." This shows that the town was growing on the west side of the Hampton River. Like the church before it, this one was made of wood and was about the same size. This building was used for about 60 years. The site is off West Pembroke Avenue, east of LaSalle Avenue. It has a historical marker, brick outlines of the building's foundations, and old gravestones.
Fourth Church Site (1728–Present)
In the early 1700s, most activity was around the busy port, which is now downtown Hampton. The church members asked the Governor if they could move their church closer to where most people lived. This was allowed, and building the fourth church began. It was on one and a half acres on the edge of Hampton.
Henry Cary Jr. of Williamsburg finished the current cross-shaped building in 1728. A bell tower was added to the west front in 1762. The building was damaged during the Revolutionary War. It was also damaged in the War of 1812. The most damage happened during the Civil War. It took many years for the church to be fully repaired after the War of 1812.
After being fully fixed, Bishop Richard Channing Moore of Virginia gave the church its new name, St. John's. This happened on Saturday, March 6, 1830. The building was damaged again during the Civil War on August 7, 1861. Confederate soldiers set fire to homes, businesses, and the church. They wanted to stop the town from being taken over by the Union. The large bell was destroyed, and only the burned walls remained. This was when Union soldiers took over the town and camped in the churchyard.
Because of the fire, St. John's is the only colonial building still standing in downtown Hampton. After the war, money from a wide appeal helped rebuild the church. The repairs were finished around 1869 or 1870. The outside of the church looked colonial again, but the inside showed the style of the late 1800s. In the early 1900s, a tower was added to the back. A west gallery was built in 1957, and a chapel was finished in 1985. The current organ was put in in 1993.
Special Features of St. John's
Historic Communion Silver
The church still uses special silver pieces for Communion today. These pieces have been used continuously since 1618. This is the longest history of continuous use for any English church silver in America. The silver was brought from England in 1619. It was first used in a church started in 1618 at Smith's Hundred in Virginia. This place was between the Chickahominy and James Rivers. It was eight miles northwest of Jamestown.
The church was almost destroyed in the Indian Massacre of March 22, 1622. Governor George Yeardley took the silver to Jamestown. Around 1628, it was given to the second Elizabeth City Church, which had just been built. St. John's still uses this communion silver for special events.
The chalice (cup) has a London date-letter from 1618-1619. It says: "THE COMMVNION CVPP FOR SNT MARYS CHVRCH IN SMITHS HVNDRED IN VIRGINIA". There are also two patens (plates) with the same London date. One paten says: "Whosoever shall eate this bread and drinke the cupp of the Lord/unworthily shalbe gilty of the body & blood of ye Lord Cor Ixith". The second paten has written: "If any man eate of this Bread he shall live for ever Jo VIth".
Pocahontas Stained Glass Window
In 1887, Native American students from the Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute helped create a stained glass window. This window shows the baptism of Pocahontas. This institute is now called Hampton University.
Aumbry with Ancient Glass
On the chapel wall, to the left of the main altar, is an aumbry. An aumbry is a small cupboard. The door panel of this aumbry has pieces of stained glass from the 1200s. This glass came from St. Helena Church in Willoughby, Lincolnshire, United Kingdom. This was the church where Captain John Smith was baptized. The rector (leader) of Willoughby St. Helena gave this panel to St. John's Parish. This happened on Sunday, July 14, 1985, as part of St. John's 375th anniversary party.
Churches Started by St. John's
St. John's helped start several other churches over the years. These are sometimes called "mission churches."
St. Paul's Episcopal Church (Newport News, VA)
This church was started in 1894 in Newport News. It was meant to support families and workers in the shipbuilding and transportation industries.
Emmanuel Episcopal Church (Hampton, VA)
This church was started on April 11, 1897. It was created to help the growing community of Phoebus, which is part of Hampton.
St. Cyprian's Episcopal Church (Hampton, VA)
This church began in 1905 in Hampton, VA. It was the first Episcopal church for Black people in the area. It supported people in Hampton and Phoebus, students from Hampton University, and people in Newport News.
Grace Episcopal Church (Newport News, VA)
Grace Episcopal Church was started in 1942 in Newport News.
St. Mark's Episcopal Church (Hampton, VA)
St. Mark's was started in 1963 as a mission of St. John's. It was meant to serve the growing population in northwest Hampton. The St. Mark's church members now meet at St. John's Episcopal Church.
