St. Philip's Church, Brunswick Town facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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St. Philip's Church Ruins
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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St. Philip's Church ruins in Brunswick Town
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 Location in North Carolina
Location in the United States
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| Location | Brunswick County, North Carolina |
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| Area | 8 acres (3.2 ha) |
| Built | 1768 |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| Part of | Brunswick Town Historic District |
| NRHP reference No. | 70000442 |
| Added to NRHP | February 26, 1970 |
St. Philip's Church, Brunswick Town, is an old church that is now in ruins. It is located in Brunswick County, North Carolina, in the United States. This church belonged to the Anglican faith. It was built in 1768 but was destroyed just eight years later in 1776.
The ruins stand next to the Cape Fear River. They are part of the Brunswick Town Historic District. This area also includes Fort Anderson and Russelborough. The church took 14 years to build. Sadly, it was destroyed in just one day when the British Army burned Brunswick Town. Before it was ruined, many people thought it was one of the most beautiful churches in North Carolina. On February 26, 1970, this historic site was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
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History of St. Philip's Church
In 1741, a church area called St. Philip's Parish was created in Brunswick Town. Rev. James Moir was the first vicar, or priest, for the church. St. Philip's was like a sister church to St. James Church in Wilmington.
Building St. Philip's Church started in 1754. It took a long time and was not finished until 1768. Rev. John Barnett was the first minister to lead the new church. Governor Arthur Dobbs even called St. Philip's "His Majesty’s Chapel in North Carolina."
Destruction During the Revolutionary War
During the American Revolutionary War, the British Army attacked Brunswick Town. They burned the church, Russelborough, and most of the homes and shops. Only the church walls were left standing. Brunswick Town became empty, and the church ruins stayed mostly untouched for almost 100 years.
St. Philip's During the Civil War
In March 1862, engineers from the Confederate Army looked at the ruins of Brunswick Town and St. Philip's Church. They built dirt walls and ditches, called earthworks and trenches, all over the town. These covered the remains of many burned buildings, but not the church.
The fort was built to protect Wilmington, a city about 18 miles upstream. Wilmington was a very important port during the Civil War. The fort was first called Fort St. Philip, but its name changed to Fort Anderson in July 1863.
During an attack on Fort Anderson in February 1865, cannonballs from Union ships hit the church walls. You can still see where they hit today. Confederate soldiers who died in battle were first buried inside the church. When the Confederate forces lost, Union soldiers disturbed some of the graves at St. Philip's Church. They also took the building's special cornerstone.
Later Years and Preservation
In 1899, a new group called the Cape Fear Chapter of the North Carolina Society of the Colonial Dames of America visited the historic site. They wanted to honor those who died in the American Revolutionary War in Brunswick Town. In 1902, this group placed a marble plaque inside St. Philip's. It honored Maurice Moore, who helped start Brunswick Town.
People began digging at Brunswick Town in 1958 to find old items. They found things like bullets, buttons, and a cannonball inside the ruins. Today, the building is part of the Brunswick Town State historic site. Visitors can walk through the church and see the earthworks of nearby Fort Anderson.
Architecture of the Ruins
The ruins of St. Philip's Church are made up of four brick walls. There are also graves both inside and outside the church. The bricks used to build the church came all the way from England. The walls are very thick, about three feet (0.91 meters) wide.
The building is about 76 feet, six inches (23.3 meters) long. It is 53 feet, three inches (16.2 meters) wide and 24 feet, four inches (7.4 meters) high. The floor and roof were destroyed in the fire. The church also had three doors and eleven windows. Each window was about fifteen by seven feet (4.6 m x 2.1 m).
The church floor was made of wood. However, the walkways had one-foot-square (0.3 meter) brick tiles. These tiles formed the shape of a cross. The pews, or church benches, were made of wood. The Governor's pew was raised higher than the others.
There are twelve burial sites inside the church. Several graves also remain outside the building. These were not disturbed by Union troops. Important people buried at St. Philip's Church include Arthur Dobbs, who was a Governor. Another person buried there was Benjamin Smith, also a Governor. Alfred Moore, a Supreme Court Associate Justice, is also buried here.
