St. Mary's, Whitechapel

St Mary's Whitechapel is an Episcopal church in Lancaster, Virginia, founded in 1669, and located three miles south of Lively, in Lancaster County, in the Northern Neck. The parish of St Mary's Whitechapel is notable for being the birthplace of Mary Ball Washington, mother of George Washington.^[1]

History

The church is built in the simple elegant style typical of colonial era churches in Seventeenth Century Virginia. It is thought to have been named after Whitechapel parish in the East End of London.^[1]

Construction of the building was begun in around 1675. Originally rectangular in design, it was made cruciform in 1741 by adding two wings on the North and South sides of the existing building. During the Disestablishment Era the church became dormant and was abandoned. Along with numerous other parish properties, the church and its property were seized under an act of 1802. It fell into disuse for twenty years, and during this period the east and west sections of the church deteriorated beyond repair. Around 1830 the North and South wings were repaired, forming the structure which can be seen today.^[1]

Cemetery

The church cemetery contains the graves of numerous members of local families, including many members of the Ball family, kin to Mary Ball Washington, mother of George Washington. The earliest marked grave is that of "John Stretchley, gentleman, 1698".^[1] George H. Steuart (1907-1998), one of the last consuls of the United States at Liverpool, England, is also buried here.

St Mary's Whitechapel today

The church has an active congregation of the Episcopal church. The current Rector is the Rev, Torrence M Harman. The parish secretary is Janie Morgan Smith.

The church is said to contain the oldest known altar tablets, Decalogue, Lord's Prayer, and Apostles' Creed, in the Commonwealth of Virginia. In addition, it boasts a communion table and baptismal font dating from the Colonial era.^[2]

The church is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.^[3]

References

• History of St Mary's Whitechapel by Elizabeth Lewis Neale, published in Colonial Churches in the Original Colony of Virginia, by Anonymous.
• Rawlings, James Scott, Virginia's Colonial Churches: & Architectural Guide. Richmond: Garrett and Massie, 1963, pp. 162-165.
• Brock, Henry Irving, Colonial Churches & Virginia. Richmond: The Dale Press, 1930, pp. 62-63.
• Rose, Harold Wickliffe, The Colonial Houses of Worship in America. New York: Hastings House, Publishers, 1963, pp. 503-5047

External links

• Official website and history of St Mary's Whitechapel. Retrieved Jan 31 2010
• History of St Mary's Whitechapel by Elizabeth Lewis Neale, published in Colonial Churches in the Original Colony of Virginia, by Anonymous Retrieved Jan 31 2010
• St Mary's Whitechapel at www.discoverourtown.com Retrieved Jan 31 2010
• St Mary's Whitechapel at nps.gov Retrieved Jan 31 2010

Notes

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Lancaster County, Virginia