Old Chapel (Millwood, Virginia)

Old Chapel
Old Chapel, September 2012
Location 3 mi. N of Millwood off U.S. 340, Millwood, Virginia
Coordinates 39°6′24″N 78°0′54″W / 39.10667°N 78.01500°W / 39.10667; -78.01500Coordinates: 39°6′24″N 78°0′54″W / 39.10667°N 78.01500°W / 39.10667; -78.01500
Area 9.9 acres (4.0 ha)
Built 1793 (1793)
NRHP Reference # 73002004[1]
VLR # 021-0058
Significant dates
Added to NRHP April 2, 1973
Designated VLR November 21, 1972[2]

Old Chapel is a historic Episcopal church building located near Millwood, Clarke County, Virginia.

History

The current building was authorized in 1790 and completed circa 1793, and is the third church on the site. Once known as Cunningham's chapel for the tavern located nearby at the location of two historic roads (now routes 340 down the Shenandoah Valley and the shorter east-west highway from Burwell's mill in Millwood now numbered 255),[3] Old Chapel is now the oldest Episcopal church building still in use west of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The original log church authorized in 1738 was built some time between 1740 and 1750 and replaced in 1762, but destroyed during the American Revolutionary War.[4]

The current historic stone church has a single story, three bay by three bay design, and a shingle covered gable roof. Although most of the parish's services are now held at Christ Church, Millwood[5] across from historic Carter Hall and nearer the mill, school and post office, this church is still used for services on Easter Sunday. It was the home parish of Bishop William Meade, who for a time served under Frederick Parish's longtime rector, Rev. Alexander Balmaine of Scotland and later Winchester, Virginia, and then as this parish's rector for 25 years. The parish's current main church, Christ Church, Millwood, was completed in 1832 nearer the bishop's home and because this chapel had become too small for the parish's needs.[6]

Also on the property is a contributing cemetery, originally on land donated by the Burwell family. It holds the grave of founding father (and former Virginia governor and U.S. Attorney General) Edmund Randolph, as well as many members of the Burwell, Nelson and Randolph families.[7]

It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.[1]

Notable burials

References

  1. 1 2 Staff (2010-07-09). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
  2. ↑ "Virginia Landmarks Register". Virginia Department of Historic Resources. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
  3. ↑ "Old Chapel". cunninghamchapel.com. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
  4. ↑ Charles Randolph Hughes, Old Chapel at pp. 4 et seq (Berryville: Blue Ridge Press, 1906) available at internet archive https://ia700204.us.archive.org/14/items/oldchapelclarkec00hugh/oldchapelclarkec00hugh.pdf
  5. ↑ "The Episcopal Churches of Cunningham Chapel Parish". The Episcopal Churches of Cunningham Chapel Parish. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
  6. ↑ "Welcome to Christ Church Millwood". cunninghamchapel.com. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
  7. ↑ Virginia Historic Landmarks Commission Staff (September 1972). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Old Chapel" (PDF). Virginia Historic Landmarks Commission. and Accompanying photo

External links

External links


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