The Church of the Holy Cross is a historic Anglican church at 335 North Kings Highway in Stateburg, South Carolina. 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 construction, constructing foundations, floors, and walls using compacted natural raw materials such as soil, earth, chalk, Lime (material), lime, or gravel. It is an ancient method that has been revived recently ...

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

National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a National Register of Historic Places property types, building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the Federal government of the United States, United States government f ...

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. Sumt ...

. 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 the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...

General

Thomas Sumter Thomas Sumter (August 14, 1734June 1, 1832) was an American military officer, planter, and politician who served in the Continental Army as a Brigadier general (United States), brigadier-general during the American Revolutionary War, Revolution ...

. 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, the historic home and property of Dr. William Wallace Anderson, 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 Stateburg Historic District is a historic district (United States), historic district in Stateburg, South Carolina, Stateburg, in the High Hills of Santee area near Sumter, South Carolina, Sumter, South Carolina in the United States. It i ...

. 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 (United States), Episco ...

. 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, 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 ...

(March 2, 1779 – December 12, 1851),

physician A physician, medical practitioner (British English), medical doctor, or simply doctor is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through the Medical education, study, Med ...

botanist Botany, also called plant science, is the branch of natural science and biology studying plants, especially Plant anatomy, their anatomy, Plant taxonomy, taxonomy, and Plant ecology, ecology. A botanist or plant scientist is a scientist who s ...

and American

statesman A statesman or stateswoman is a politician or a leader in an organization who has had a long and respected career at the national or international level, or in a given field. Statesman or statesmen may also refer to: Newspapers United States ...

. The

Poinsettia The poinsettia (; ''Euphorbia pulcherrima'') is a commercially important flowering plant species of the diverse spurge family Euphorbiaceae. Indigenous to Mexico and Central America, the poinsettia was first described by Europeans in 1834. It ...

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 primary land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of the United Stat ...

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, military decoration and is awarded to recognize American United States Army, soldiers, United States Navy, sailors, Un ...

recipient.

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 19th-century Anglican church buildings in the United States

Description and history

Notable burials

See also

References

External links