Saint Paul's Episcopal Church (Norfolk, Virginia)

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name = Saint Paul's Episcopal Church
Norfolk, Virginia
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caption = Saint Paul's Episcopal Church in 1907
location = Norfolk, Virginia
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built = 1739
architect =
architecture = Georgian
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governing_body = Saint Paul's Episcopal Church

Saint Paul's Episcopal Church (also known as Borough Church) [Citation |last= |first= |title=National Register of Historic Places |url=http://www.nationalhistoricalregister.com/VA/Norfolk/state.html |accessdate=2007-10-07] is a historic church in Norfolk, Virginia. Built in 1739, it is the sole colonial-era building which survived the various wars that Norfolk has witnessed. The church has played host to several different denominations throughout its history. Originally an Anglican church, the building was home to a Baptist parish in the early nineteenth century and was finally converted back into an Episcopal church.

History

Tenants

During the Revolutionary War, the Church of England was disestablished in Virginia and replaced with the Protestant Episcopal Church in America. The Elizabeth River Parish of this new church was divided in 1797 by two feuding congregations. One faction formed Christ Church (which later became Christ and Saint Luke's Church), while the other retained the building until 1803, when it was acquired by Baptists. The Episcopalians reclaimed the building in 1832, and Bishop Richard Channing Moore reconsecrated it under the name Saint Paul's. [Citation |last= |first= |title=Saint Paul's - History |url=http://www.saintpaulsnorfolk.com/history.htm |accessdate=2007-10-08]

American wars

Following his defeat at Great Bridge, Lord Dunmore attacked Norfolk from the sea as he fled Virginia on January 1, 1776. In retaliation, patriots set fire to the homes of loyalists; however, the fire became unmanageable, and nearly the entire town was destroyed by the flames. [cite book |last=Stember |first=Sol |authorlink=Sol Stember |title=Bicentennial Guide to the American Revolution |publisher=Saturday Review Press |date=1974 |pages=174 |isbn=0841503141] [cite book |last=Hale |first=Louise Closser |authorlink=Louise Closser Hale |title=We Discover the Old Dominion |publisher=Dodd, Mead & Co. |date=1916 |pages=276] The church was the only major building in the city to escape major damage in the assault, [cite book |last=North |first=Joseph B. |authorlink=Joseph B. North |title=Potter's American Monthly |publisher=J.E.Potter & Co. |date=1877 |pages=195] [cite book |last=Howard |first=Blair |authorlink=Blair Howard |title=The Virginia Handbook |publisher=W.J.Burnham |date=2005 |pages=163 |isbn=1588435121] though a cannonball did strike its wall. [cite book |last=Anonymous |first= |authorlink=Anonymity|Anonymous |title=Colonial Churches in the Original Colony of Virginia |publisher=Kessinger Publishing |date=2005 |pages=77 |isbn=1417965215] By the 1830s, the cannonball was no longer embedded in the wall. However, it was discovered buried in the yard of the church, and returned to its original resting place in the 1840s, and remains there today. [cite book |last=Yarsinske |first=Amy Waters |authorlink=Amy Waters Yarsinske |title=Norfolk's Church Street: Between Memory and Reality, VA |publisher=Arcadia Publishing |date=1999 |pages=20 |isbn=0738501034] [cite book |last=Lancaster |first=Robert Alexander |authorlink=Robert Alexander Lancaster |title=Historic Virginia Homes and Churches |publisher= Lippincott |date=1915 |pages=41] During the Civil War, the building acted as a chapel for the Union army, and was returned after the surrender of Robert E. Lee, though it required extensive repairs.

References

External links

* [http://www.saintpaulsnorfolk.com/ Saint Paul's website]
* [http://historichamptonroads.com/st_pauls_church_02.htm Postcard from 1907 featuring the church]