St. Peter's Church
About this property
St. Peter's Episcopal Church is an historic Episcopal church located at 8400 St Peters Lane in New Kent, Virginia 23124, nearby but not in Talleysville, Virginia, United States. Built in 1703, the church was designated as "The First Church of the First First-Lady" by the Virginia General Assembly in 1960 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1969. It was designated a National Historic Landmark on March 2, 2012, as an exceptionally well-preserved colonial-era church. St. Peter's Church was established in New Kent County, Virginia, on April 29, 1679. Construction began in 1701 (at a cost of 146,000 weight of tobacco) and was complete by 1703. The steeple was erected 12 years later. The builder of nearby Foster's Castle, Colonel Joseph Foster, was a vestryman and supervised construction at St. Peter's Church. Another vestryman, Colonel Daniel Parke Custis, married Martha Dandridge on May 15, 1750, according to the groom as he wrote it in his own bible. Martha D. Custis became a widow after only eight years of marriage. On January 6, 1759, the Rector of St. Peter's, Rev. David Mossom, united Martha Custis and Colonel George Washington in marriage. Debate ensues over the exact location of the marriage; some believe it occurred within the church while others believe it took place a few miles away at the White House Plantation on the Pamunkey River. Following the American Revolution and disestablishment of what had become the Episcopal Church and confiscation of vacant glebes in 1802 legislation, this church was abandoned and fell into disrepair. Sometime around 1820, Presbyterians started worshiping at the church. Episcopalian services began again in 1843. Both denominations shared the church, alternating weeks, until 1865. Because of its central location in New Kent County about 30 miles from Richmond, the church suffered greatly during the Civil War, and most of its records predating the conflict were lost. Union soldiers stabled their horses in the pews and carved their names in the brick exterior. On October 23, 1869 General Robert E. Lee wrote "St. Peters is the church where General Washington was married and attended in early life. It would be a shame to America if allowed to go to destruction." His son, General William Henry Fitzhugh Lee oversaw the partial restoration in 1872. After being designated as "The First Church of the First First-Lady" by the Virginia General Assembly in 1960, restoration again began on the church with the assistance of architectural and ecclesiastic experts. The renovation included structural improvements to the church which required completely gutting the interior.
Location
Categories
Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Everything a full report reveals about St. Peter's Church
This page lists St. Peter's Church. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Questions about this property
When was St. Peter's Church listed on the National Register?
St. Peter's Church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 30, 1969.
What type of historic resource is St. Peter's Church?
St. Peter's Church is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.
Is St. Peter's Church a National Historic Landmark?
Yes. St. Peter's Church has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.
What is the period of significance for St. Peter's Church?
The period of significance for St. Peter's Church is recorded as the industrial era.
Can I research the history near St. Peter's Church?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near St. Peter's Church will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
More in New Kent County
Historic places, battles, and census history across New Kent County.
Explore New KentCounty ›More historic places in Virginia
Browse all historic places in Virginia.
View Virginiahistoric sites ›Research the history near this site
An Aubrey US report for an address near St. Peter's Church will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.