The Church of the Holy Cross is a historic Anglican church at 335 North Kings Highway in

Stateburg, South Carolina Stateburg is a census-designated place (CDP) in the High Hills of Santee in Sumter County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 1,380 at the 2010 census. It is included in the Sumter, South Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area. St ...

. Built in 1850-52 to a design by noted South Carolina architect Edward C. Jones, it is a notable example of

rammed earth Rammed earth is a technique for constructing foundations, floors, and walls using compacted natural raw materials such as earth, chalk, lime, or gravel. It is an ancient method that has been revived recently as a sustainable building method. ...

construction with relatively high style Gothic Revival styling. It was designated a

National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance. Only some 2,500 (~3%) of over 90,000 places listed ...

for its architecture in 1973. In 2013, the Church of the Holy Cross disaffiliated with the Episcopal Church over disagreement with its direction. The conservative congregation realigned with the

Anglican Church in North America The Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) is a Christian denomination in the Anglican tradition in the United States and Canada. It also includes ten congregations in Mexico, two mission churches in Guatemala, and a missionary diocese in Cuba ...

Description and history

The church stands on the east side of North Kings Highway, west of the city of

Sumter Sumter may refer to: People Given name * Sumter S. Arnim (1904–1990), American dentist * Sumter de Leon Lowry Jr. (1893–1985), United States Army general Surname * Rowendy Sumter (born 1988), Curaçaoan footballer * Shavonda E. Sumter ( ...

. Its walls, constructed of yellow

, stand tall, and are covered in stucco, with buttressing at the corners and long sides of its cruciform plan. A tower stands attached to one end, and the steeply pitched roof is finished in tile. Window and door openings are in the shape of Gothic arches. The church interior is painted gray in a manner resembling stone. The church was built in 1850-52 on land donated earlier by

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

General

Thomas Sumter Thomas Sumter (August 14, 1734June 1, 1832) was a soldier in the Colony of Virginia militia; a brigadier general in the South Carolina militia during the American Revolution, a planter, and a politician. After the United States gained independe ...

. It was designed by Edward C. Jones, one of South Carolina's leading architects. Although he was a prolific designer, a relatively small number of his works survive. and Across the road from the church is

Borough House Plantation Borough House Plantation, also known as Borough House, Hillcrest Plantation and Anderson Place, is an historic plantation on South Carolina Highway 261, north of its intersection with U.S. Route 76/ US Route 378 in Stateburg, in the High Hills ...

, the historic home and property of Dr.

William Wallace Anderson William Wallace Anderson was a medical doctor who graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1846 with a Bachelor of Arts and the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in 1849. He was also involved in architecture of rammed earth con ...

, chairman of the committee that built the church. In 1820, Dr. Anderson had built his own house of rammed earth on his plantation, plus additional outbuildings of the same construction. Several of these survive, and the plantation complex has also been designated as a

. These landmarks are both included within what is now known as the Stateburg Historic District. The Church of the Holy Cross is still an active parish. In 2013, it disaffiliated from the Episcopal Church over its direction. The conservative congregation realigned with the

, part of the

Anglican realignment The Anglican realignment is a movement among some Anglicans to align themselves under new or alternative oversight within or outside the Anglican Communion. This movement is primarily active in parts of the Episcopal Church in the United States ...

. The current rector is Fr. Michael E. Ridgill, priest. An 18-month, $2.3 million restoration to repair extensive termite damage was completed in late January 2010 under former rector the Rev. Fr. Thomas W. Allen. The church has its original Erben pipe organ, installed in 1851.

Notable burials

Joel Roberts Poinsett Joel Roberts Poinsett (March 2, 1779December 12, 1851) was an American physician, diplomat and botanist. He was the first U.S. agent in South America, a member of the South Carolina legislature and the United States House of Representatives, the ...

(March 2, 1779 – December 12, 1851),

physician A physician (American English), medical practitioner (Commonwealth English), medical doctor, or simply doctor, is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through th ...

botanist Botany, also called , plant biology or phytology, is the science of plant life and a branch of biology. A botanist, plant scientist or phytologist is a scientist who specialises in this field. The term "botany" comes from the Ancient Greek wo ...

and American statesman. The Poinsettia is named for him. * George L. Mabry, Jr. (September 14, 1917 – July 13, 1990), Major General,

U.S. Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cl ...

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valo ...

recipient.George Lafayette Mabry, Jr (1917 - 1990) - Find A Grave Memorial
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References

External links

Church of the Holy Cross, Anglican, Stateburg website
including 8 photos, at South Carolina Department of Archives and History

{{DEFAULTSORT:Holy Cross (Stateburg, South Carolina), Church of the Rammed earth buildings and structures Churches on the National Register of Historic Places in South Carolina Anglican churches in South Carolina Cemeteries in South Carolina High Hills of Santee Churches in Sumter County, South Carolina National Historic Landmarks in South Carolina National Register of Historic Places in Sumter County, South Carolina Historic district contributing properties in South Carolina Anglican Church in North America church buildings in the United States Former Episcopal church buildings in South Carolina Anglican realignment congregations

Description and history

Notable burials

See also

References

External links