Christ Church (Episcopal) is an

Episcopal Episcopal may refer to: *Of or relating to a bishop, an overseer in the Christian church *Episcopate, the see of a bishop – a diocese *Episcopal Church (disambiguation), any church with "Episcopal" in its name ** Episcopal Church (United States ...

church in

Greenville, South Carolina Greenville ( ; ) is a city in Greenville County, South Carolina, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 70,720 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of municipalities in South Carolina, sixth-most pop ...

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

. which was consecrated in 1854. The church and its courtyard are listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

as Christ Church (Episcopal) and Churchyard. It is the oldest organized religious body and the oldest church building remaining in Greenville.

History

In March, 1820, Reverend Rodolphus Dickerson founded St. James Mission in the village of Greenville Court House. In 1825, Vardry McBee, who was an early industrialist in Greenville, gave for the church. The cornerstone was laid on September 15, 1825. The brick church was long and wide. The first service was held on June 18, 1826. The church was accepted into the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina as Christ Church Parish. In 1845, the parish proposed the building of a new church.

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

, who was a vestryman of the church, drew up plans. Since these were felt to too elaborate and unaffordable, construction was delayed and Poinsett died. Rev. John D. McCollough, who had designed and built over a dozen churches in

upstate South Carolina The Upstate, historically known as the Upcountry, is a region of the U.S. state of South Carolina, comprising the northwesternmost area of the state. Although loosely defined among locals, the general definition includes the 10 counties of the ...

, drew the final plans and built the church. The cornerstone was laid on May 29, 1852. It contained religious books, church and diocesan publications in a sealed copper box. The

nave The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...

of the brick Gothic church was originally long and wide. There were five lancet windows on each side. The west end had five narrow

stained glass Stained glass refers to coloured glass as a material or art and architectural works created from it. Although it is traditionally made in flat panels and used as windows, the creations of modern stained glass artists also include three-dimensio ...

windows, which has been described as a "pentaphlet," and an art glass circular window depicting the

Holy Trinity The Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the Christian doctrine concerning the nature of God, which defines one God existing in three, , consubstantial divine persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ) and God the Holy Spirit, three ...

. The

chancel In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar, including the Choir (architecture), choir and the sanctuary (sometimes called the presbytery), at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building. It may termi ...

had a triplet window in the chancel depicting

Christ Jesus ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, and many other names and titles, was a 1st-century Jewish preacher and religious leader. He is the Jesus in Christianity, central figure of Christianity, the M ...

, St. John, and

St. Peter Saint Peter (born Shimon Bar Yonah; 1 BC – AD 64/68), also known as Peter the Apostle, Simon Peter, Simeon, Simon, or Cephas, was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus and one of the first leaders of the early Christian Church. He appears repe ...

. The peaked ceiling was tall. Although several sources, quoting an 1856 article in the ''Southern Episcopalian'', say that the brick bell tower is tall, the 1934 architectural drawings indicate that is tall from the top of the foundation to the base of its cross. The church was consecrated on September 29, 1854. A balcony was added in 1875. The south

transept A transept (with two semitransepts) is a transverse part of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In cruciform ("cross-shaped") cruciform plan, churches, in particular within the Romanesque architecture, Romanesque a ...

was constructed in 1880. In 1914, the triplex window in the chancel was replaced with a stained glass window of the

Last Supper Image:The Last Supper - Leonardo Da Vinci - High Resolution 32x16.jpg, 400px, alt=''The Last Supper'' by Leonardo da Vinci - Clickable Image, ''The Last Supper (Leonardo), The Last Supper'' (1495-1498). Mural, tempera on gesso, pitch and mastic ...

from Franz Mayer & Co. in

Munich Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...

This window was dedicated to

Ellison Capers Ellison Capers (October 14, 1837 – April 22, 1908) was a Confederate general in the American Civil War, theologian, college professor and administrator from South Carolina. Early life Capers was the son of a Methodist bishop. He was born i ...

, who was a Confederate general, rector in 1866 to 1888, and Bishop of the Diocese of South Carolina. In 1968, the north transept was built to complete the Gothic cruciform design, and an

undercroft An undercroft is traditionally a cellar or storage room, often brick-lined and Vault (architecture), vaulted, and used for storage in buildings since medieval times. In modern usage, an undercroft is generally a ground (street-level) area whi ...

was added. In 2000, the balcony was enlarged and a 68-rank Goulding and Wood organ was installed. The

Historic American Buildings Survey The asterisk ( ), from Late Latin , from Ancient Greek , , "little star", is a Typography, typographical symbol. It is so called because it resembles a conventional image of a star (heraldry), heraldic star. Computer scientists and Mathematici ...

documented the church with photographs and measured drawings in 1934. The drawings include a site plan and drawings of various details of the church. Christ Church is now in the

Episcopal Diocese of Upper South Carolina The Episcopal Diocese of Upper South Carolina (EDUSC) is a diocese in the Episcopal Church (United States), Episcopal Church. Originally part of the Episcopal Church in South Carolina, Diocese of South Carolina, it became independent on October 1 ...

. It sponsors Christ Church Episcopal School in Greenville.

Churchyard

The churchyard has a cemetery. In addition to Vardry McBee, clergy, church members, and former mayors, three politicians are interred: the post-Civil War provisional Governor

Benjamin Franklin Perry Benjamin Franklin Perry (November 20, 1805December 3, 1886) was the 72nd Governor of South Carolina, appointed by U.S. President Andrew Johnson in 1865 after the end of the American Civil War. Early life and career Perry was born in Pickens ...

, his son,

U.S. Congressman The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...

William H. Perry, and

U.S. Senator The United States Senate is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and House have the authority under Article One of the ...

Joseph H. Earle.

References

External links

Christ Church (Episcopal) Historic Marker
*
Official site
Retrieved 26 June 2019 {{National Register of Historic Places in South Carolina Churches on the National Register of Historic Places in South Carolina Historic American Buildings Survey in South Carolina Episcopal churches in South Carolina National Register of Historic Places in Greenville, South Carolina Churches in Greenville County, South Carolina 19th-century Episcopal church buildings