050-0061 St. John's Church

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VLR Listing Date 10/17/1972

NRHP Listing Date 04/24/1973

NRHP Reference Number 73002214

An outstanding example of the colonial mason’s craft, St. John’s Church in King William County was completed ca. 1734 and enlarged to its present T shape before 1765. Its parish, St. John’s, was one of the few colonial parishes named in honor of a saint. During the 1770s the church’s eloquent and popular rector, the Rev. Henry Skyren, drew large crowds to his services. Among the regular worshipers here was Carter Braxton, signer of the Declaration of Independence. St. John’s fell into disuse after the disestablishment. It was for a time occupied by Baptists and Methodists, but today it is once again an Episcopal parish church undergoing a long-term restoration. St. John’s Church is noted for its sparkling Flemish-bond brickwork and its molded brick pedimented doorways. The principal colonial-era interior features are the north and west galleries.

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Abbreviations:
VLR: Virginia Landmarks Register
NPS: National Park Service
NRHP: National Register of Historic Places
NHL: National Historic Landmark

Updated: March 30, 2023