CHoWs - By State


Virginia


Abingdon Episcopal
White Marsh, VA
Church of England, 1754
Brick
Acquinton
King William Court House, VA
Church of England, 1760
Brick
Hold mouse here for more info!Substantially restored in the past 15 years.
Augusta Stone Church
Fort Defiance, VA
Presbyterian, 1747
Stone
Blandford Church
Petersburg, VA
Church of England, 1735
Brick
Hold mouse here for more info!The chapel, standing at the edge of the largest cemetery in Petersburg, adjacent to the national battlefield, and resting place of my parents and grandparents, offers a series of stained-glass windows designed by L. C. Tiffany.
Bruton Parish
Williamsburg, VA
Church of England, 1711
Brick
Hold mouse here for more info!One of the most historic churches, thanks to its location in the heart of the colonial capital of one of the most populous colonies. Regular attendees included George Washington, George Wythe, Thomas Jefferson, and most of the other Virginia names one associates with American Independence.
Christ Church, Alexandria
Alexandria, VA
Church of England, 1767
Brick
Hold mouse here for more info!One of the principal churches attended most frequently by George Washington.
Christ Church, Aquia
Garrisonville, VA
Church of England, 1757
Brick
Christ Church, Lancaster
Weems, VA
Church of England, 1732
Brick
Hold mouse here for more info!One of the supreme examples of Georgian church architecture in America, this church is almost entirely unchanged since its completion about 285 years ago. It has the blessing of a rural setting which further enhances the colonial-era atmosphere.
Christ Church, Middlesex
Saluda, VA
Church of England, 1712
Brick
Hold mouse here for more info!In addition to this charming church’s idyllic setting (wood thrushes can be heard in the forest behind the church in season), it is also the burial location of Gen. Lewis “Chesty” Puller.
Fork Church
Beaver Dam, VA
Church of England, 1735
Brick
Glebe Church
Driver, VA
Church of England, 1738
Brick
Goose Creek FMH
Lincoln, VA
Society of Friends, 1765
Stone
Hold mouse here for more info!No longer in use as a Meetinghouse, it is now the private residence for the caretaker of the newer Goose Creek FMH nearby. It is not open to the public.
Grace Church
Yorktown, VA
Church of England, 1696
Stone
Hebron Lutheran
Madison, VA
German Lutheran, 1740
Wood
Hickory Neck
Toano, VA
Church of England, 1774
Brick
Hopewell Meeting
Clear Brook, VA
Society of Friends, 1759
Stone
Hungars Church
Bridgetown, VA
Church of England, 1742
Brick
Jamestown Church Tower
Jamestown, VA
Church of England, 1639
Brick
Hold mouse here for more info!The tower is the only part remaining from the 1639 church at English America’s oldest permanent settlement, but work is underway to build a replica of the rest of the church, based on details found in 21st century excavations. This is probably the oldest church remnant in English America.
Lamb's Creek Church
Sealston, VA
Church of England, 1769
Brick
Hold mouse here for more info!Compare the architecture of this church with Little Fork Church (aka St. Mark’s) in Rixeyville.
Lower Chapel Middlesex
Hartfield, VA
Church of England, 1717
Brick
Lower Southwark
Lawne's Creek Parish, VA
Church of England, 1751
Brick
Mangohick Church
Mangohick, VA
Church of England, 1730
Brick
Merchant's Hope
Prince George, VA
Church of England, 1743
Brick
Hold mouse here for more info!Merchant’s Hope owes its strong 18th century atmosphere to the lucky location on a side road well out of any town. It appears to be unchanged in almost 350 years; it was built in 1657, and is one of the four oldest CHoWs in America’s English colonies.
North Farnham
Farnham, VA
Church of England, 1737
Brick
Old Chapel, Penhook
Penhook, VA
Church of England, 1769
Wood
Hold mouse here for more info!The very isolated location of this chapel makes it easy to imagine one has left the 20th century far away.
Old Donation Church
Lynnhaven, VA
Church of England, 1736
Brick
Old Stone Presbyterian
Winchester, VA
Presbyterian, 1788
Stone
Pohick Church
near Fort Belvoir, VA
Church of England, 1769
Brick
Hold mouse here for more info!This was one of the churches George Washington attended most often (along with Christ Church, Alexandria). This is the one nearest to Mt. Vernon.
Providence Presbyterian
Gum Spring, VA
Presbyterian, 1747
Wood
Slash Church
Ashland, VA
Church of England, 1729
Wood
Hold mouse here for more info!Probably the oldest wooden frame church in Virginia.
St. David's, Cat-tail
near Ayelett, VA
Church of England, 1748
Brick
St. George's, Pungoteague
Pungoteague, VA
Church of England, 1738
Brick
St. John's, Chuckatuck
Chuckatuck, VA
Church of England, 1752
Brick
St. John's, Hampton
Hampton, VA
Church of England, 1727
Brick
Hold mouse here for more info!Oldest congregation in the English Colonies, dating to 1610.
St. John's, Lower Chapel
King William Court House, VA
Church of England, 1732
Brick
St. John's, Richmond
Richmond, VA
Church of England, 1741
Wood
Hold mouse here for more info!The church has been rotated 90° on its foundations, but is the location of Patrick Henry’s famed “Give me Liberty” speech.
St. Luke's, Smithfield
Smithfield, VA
Church of England, 1682
Brick
Hold mouse here for more info!Architectural historians (which I’m not) have debated the exact age of this beautiful building for decades, if not centuries. It has now been confirmed through dendrochronology that the building dates to about 1682. Although it was believed for many years to have been built in the 1630s, that is no longer supported by science. It is one of the oldest churches in the colonies, and it stands in a setting which evokes the colonial period well.
St. Mark's, Little Fork Church
Rixeyville, VA
Church of England, 1776
Brick
Hold mouse here for more info!Compare the architecture of this building with that of Lamb’s Creek Church in Sealston.
St. Mary's White Chapel
Lively, VA
Church of England, 1740
Brick
St. Paul's, King George
King George, VA
Church of England, 1766
Brick
St. Paul's, Norfolk
Norfolk, VA
Church of England, 1739
Brick
St. Peter's, Talleysville
Talleysville, VA
Church of England, 1701
Brick
Hold mouse here for more info!Martha Washington was baptized here, and married here; it is her home church. Her first marriage took place here; her marriage to George Washington may have, but that’s not confirmed. It’s also one of the best preserved in a location evocative of the 18th century.
St. Stephen's Mattapony
Cumnor, VA
Church of England, 1755
Brick
Stratton Major Church
Shanghai, VA
Church of England, 1725
Brick
The Falls Church
Falls Church, VA
Church of England, 1767
Brick
Hold mouse here for more info!George Washington was a vestryman here for some years.
Timber Ridge Presbyterian
Lexington, VA
Presbyterian, 1756
Stone
Hold mouse here for more info!Just a few yards down the hill is the birthplace site of Sam Houston, the Texas independence leader.
Vauter's Church
Loretto, VA
Church of England, 1719
Brick
Ware Church
Gloucester, VA
Church of England, 1715
Brick
Hold mouse here for more info!Although it’s not far from a highway, Ware has an aura of peace and quiet, idyllic for dreaming of an earlier era.
Westover Church
Westover, VA
Church of England, 1731
Brick
Hold mouse here for more info!A simple design, well executed, on land which hasn’t been altered much in centuries, results in a place for stepping into another era.
Wren Chapel, College of W&M
Williamsburg, VA
Church of England, 1729
Brick
Hold mouse here for more info!As the College was alma mater for a few of the US presidents, this chapel was at least occasionally the scene of their worship (Jefferson, Monroe, Tyler). The Wren Building is the oldest college building in the original 13 colonies, though it has been restored multiple times.
Yeocomico Church
Kinsale, VA
Church of England, 1706
Brick
Hold mouse here for more info!The church, one of the best-preserved and best-located for evoking the 18th century atmosphere I value so highly, contains the baptismal font used for the baptism of George Washington.


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