Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 09/10/2003
NRHP Listing Date 01/16/2004
NRHP Reference Number 03001429
Saint Matthew’s Episcopal Church is located in the rural town of Champlain, in Essex County’s Occupacia-Rappahannock Rural Historic District. Construction began in 1861 but the Civil War halted work until 1865. The brick church was consecrated in 1870, and served the residents for a century until its conversion to a general store in 1970. Saint Matthew’s simple rectangular design and unpretentious exterior closely resemble Virginia’s colonial Anglican churches. The exterior exhibits three distinct brick bonds. The foundation is composed of five-course American bond, and the walls are of three-course American bond and Flemish bond. Inside, the church possesses features that distinguish it as a 19th-century building, such as the absence of a projecting pulpit and reader’s desk, as well as the lack of a southern entrance. The interior is relatively simple, placing the focus on worship, not ornamentation. Saint Matthew’s remains an excellent example of colonial-style architecture built in the 19th century.
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Abbreviations:
VLR: Virginia Landmarks Register
NPS: National Park Service
NRHP: National Register of Historic Places
NHL: National Historic Landmark
Updated: July 27, 2021
