Wicomico Parish Church
This is an Episcopal Church established between 1645 and 1647. This is the fourth church built on this site. In the 1650’s a wooden church was constructed. The first three parishes were the Church of England.
A second, larger church was contracted for 31 years after the first church. After seven years it was still not finished. A court order issued July 15, 1685 commanded that William Hartland finish the church or repay the vestry 25 thousand pounds of tobacco, a medium of exchange at the tIme. Mr. Hartland was arrested May 6, 1686 for non-compliance. It is unknown who finished the church.
In 1753 a third church was voted on by the vestry. It was made of brick and was put into use in 1771. It was the largest colonial church in Virginia at the time. The Church of England was the established church of the State of Virginia, but in 1802 all of these churches that had been built on public land reverted to public property and the church lands were seized. The third church sat empty and began to decay and collapse.
The present church was built on this site in 1902 and a parish house was added in 1954. It is located in Northumberland County, Virginia.
Wicomico Parish Church
This is an Episcopal Church established between 1645 and 1647. This is the fourth church built on this site. In the 1650’s a wooden church was constructed. The first three parishes were the Church of England.
A second, larger church was contracted for 31 years after the first church. After seven years it was still not finished. A court order issued July 15, 1685 commanded that William Hartland finish the church or repay the vestry 25 thousand pounds of tobacco, a medium of exchange at the tIme. Mr. Hartland was arrested May 6, 1686 for non-compliance. It is unknown who finished the church.
In 1753 a third church was voted on by the vestry. It was made of brick and was put into use in 1771. It was the largest colonial church in Virginia at the time. The Church of England was the established church of the State of Virginia, but in 1802 all of these churches that had been built on public land reverted to public property and the church lands were seized. The third church sat empty and began to decay and collapse.
The present church was built on this site in 1902 and a parish house was added in 1954. It is located in Northumberland County, Virginia.