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Christ Church
Lancaster County, Commonwealth of Virginia

Nonetheless, this gem of the American Georgian building arts — designed by an unknown hand — is an almost miraculous survival.

It was built 1732-35 by Col. Robert “King” Carter, the planter and merchant lord who served as Speaker of the House of Burgesses, President of Virginia’s Privy Council (the Governor’s Council or Council of State), and eventually Acting Governor of the Dominion.

The regal moniker by which he was known reflected the wealth and power he obtained in the colony, and Christ Church was constructed to serve Carter’s country seat at Corotoman.

The substantial mansion had burned down in 1729 but Carter carried on, living in the dower house of the estate. Such was his wealth that the fire barely featured in his diary, though he much lamented the complete loss of the wine cellar.

Christ Church had no natural parish and the loss of supporting glebe lands after the Church of England was disestablished in Virginia in 1786 removed the main source of funds to maintain the church.

It was only intermittently used during the nineteenth century, but in 1927 the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities took charge of the site and began restoring Christ Church.

In 1958 that esteemed body erected the Foundation for Historic Christ Church which has devoted its attention and resources to the care of this Georgian treasure ever since.

This work has by no means been limited to architectural preservation: the Foundation promotes scholarly research on the Carters, the world of the Virginia plantations, and every aspect thereof, in addition to operating a museum on the site to explain Christ Church to visitors and travellers.

Thanks to the efforts of Edmund Berkeley Jr (1937-2020) — who carried on the work of his uncle Francis L. Berkeley (1911-2003) on Virginia’s colonial papers — the surviving diary, correspondence, and papers of “King” Carter are now in the care of the Historic Christ Church museum.

Most importantly, God is still worshipped in some form at Christ Church: the Episcopalian congregation in Kilmarnock, Va., holds Sunday morning services here from June through September according to ‘Rite One’ of the Protestant Episcopal Church’s Book of Common Prayer.

The church is best approached through the simple avenue of cedar trees that leads the visitor straight to Christ Church’s west door.

It looks particularly cozy in winter.

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