Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 03/10/1994
NRHP Listing Date 05/19/1994
NRHP Reference Number 94000460
The wooden Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church, located in a quiet, tree-shaded spot off busy U.S. 301 near Hanover Court House, exemplifies a rural American interpretation of the glories of the Gothic style. Hundreds of such churches were hammered together throughout the country in the 19th century, and all have undeniable character. St. Paul’s demonstrates how basic lumber—mainly simple boards—could be used with ingenuity to give architectural effect, seen here primarily in the decorative surfaces of the tower. Like the outside, the interior remains little altered with a vaulted ceiling of bent wood. The chancel and sanctuary retain their original wooden fittings ornamented with trefoils and quatrefoils. St. Paul’s Episcopal Church was built in 1895 to replace an 1845 church on the site that burned. Nearby is a cemetery established in the 1840s.
Many properties listed in the registers are private dwellings and are not open to the public, however many are visible from the public right-of-way. Please be respectful of owner privacy.
Abbreviations:
VLR: Virginia Landmarks Register
NPS: National Park Service
NRHP: National Register of Historic Places
NHL: National Historic Landmark
Updated: August 15, 2022
