Christ Church (Ironsides, Maryland)

Christ Church (also known as Old Durham Church) is one of the oldest (1732) surviving Episcopal church buildings in the U.S. state of Maryland. Christ Church is located in the village of Ironsides within the town of Nanjemoy. Trinity Church, Dorchester County, dates to the 17th century, possibly 1675, and is thus older.

Christ Church, Durham Parish, Charles County, Maryland, 1732 church building.

Christ Church, Durham Parish, Charles County, Maryland, 1732 church building, view from front showing the northside graves.

The parish was established in 1661 and chartered in 1692.^[1] The original church building was a log structure, which was replaced with the current brick church building in 1732; the 1732 building was enlarged and renovated in 1791. Revolutionary War General William Smallwood and colonial Governor William Stone are buried in the churchyard. ^[2][3]

See also

• List of the oldest buildings in Maryland
• Oldest churches in the United States

References

1. ^ Christ Church, Old Durham Parish, "About Us", http://christchurcholddurhamparish.com/About_Us.html; see also Nancy Bromley McConaty, 2008, "Priest delves into history," SoMdNews.com, http://ww2.somdnews.com/stories/05162008/indymor203051_32190.shtml, Friday, May 16, 2008; and Rev. William Pusey Painter, 1894, History of Durham Parish, Charles County, Maryland 1692-1892, s.l. (Nanjemoy, Md): The Parish Wardens and Vestry.
2. ^ Maryland: A Guide to the Old Line State, Oxford University Press, NY, 1948.
3. ^ Christ Church, Old Durham Parish, "About Us", http://christchurcholddurhamparish.com/About_Us.html.

Coordinates: 38°29′21″N 77°9′41″W / 38.48917°N 77.16139°W / 38.48917; -77.16139