St. Paul's Episcopal Church (Royalton, Vermont) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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St. Paul's Episcopal Church
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 Location in Vermont
Location in the United States
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| Location | Jct. of Bridge St. and VT 14, Royalton, Vermont |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1836 |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| MPS | Religious Buildings, Sites and Structures in Vermont MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 01000214 |
| Added to NRHP | March 2, 2001 |
St. Paul's Episcopal Church is a really old and special building in Royalton, Vermont. It's located where Bridge Street meets Vermont Route 14. Built in 1836, this church is an amazing example of Gothic Revival architecture, which was a popular building style back then. It's one of the oldest public buildings still standing in Royalton's historic village. Today, it's no longer used as a church but is cared for by the Royalton Historical Society. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2001 because of its historical importance.
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Exploring St. Paul's Church
St. Paul's Episcopal Church stands on the east side of the road where Bridge Street and Route 14 meet. This area is the historic center of Royalton's old village.
What the Church Looks Like
The church is a one-story building made of wood. It has a pointed roof and its outside walls are covered with overlapping wooden boards called clapboards. The building sits on a strong stone foundation.
A tall, square tower sticks out from the front of the church. This tower has three levels and a flat roof. The top of the tower has a wide, decorative edge with a railing. The middle part of the tower, called the belfry, has arched openings where bells would have been. These openings are covered with slanted slats.
The main door to the church is at the bottom of this tower. It has decorative columns on each side and a fancy top edge. Above the entrance, there's a small, special window called a trinity window.
Inside the Church Today
Even though the church isn't used for religious services anymore, it still has many cool features from the 1800s. You can see unique patterns painted on the walls and along the decorative edges near the ceiling. There's also an old pipe organ from the 1840s and kerosene lamps that would have lit the church a long time ago.
History of St. Paul's Church
St. Paul's Church was built in 1836. It was likely designed using plans from John Henry Hopkins. He was the first bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Vermont. He was also a big fan of the Gothic Revival style, which you can see in the church's design.
The Organ and Stained Glass
The church's organ, built around 1842, was made by William Nutting, Jr. He was a self-taught organ maker from nearby Bethel. Many of the beautiful stained glass windows in the church were added later, around the 1880s. This was when the inside of the church was updated to match the popular styles of the Victorian era.
Changes Over Time
The church congregation, which is the group of people who attended services, was always quite small. They often shared a minister with other churches nearby. In the early 1970s, there was talk of closing the church, but people protested and it stayed open. However, the church was finally closed by the diocese in 1996.
After it closed, the Royalton Historical Society bought the building. They now take care of it and use it as a place for community events and activities.
See also
