St. Michael's Church is a historic church and the oldest surviving religious structure in Charleston, South Carolina. It is located at Broad and Meeting streets on one of the Four Corners of Law, and represents ecclesiastical law. It was built in the 1750s by order of the South Carolina Assembly. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a National Historic Landmark.
History
St. Michael's Church - Dynamic Downtown Worship in the Anglican Tradition in historic downtown Charleston.
St. Michael's Church was built between 1751 and 1761 at the corner of Broad and Meeting streets on the site of the original wooden church built in 1681 by St. Philip's Church, It had been damaged in a hurricane in 1710 and a new St. Philip's Church was built several blocks away on Church Street. In 1727, what was left of the old wooden church was demolished.
It is not known who designed St. Michael's, but it shows the influence of St Martin-in-the-Fields, London, designed in the 1720s by James Gibbs. Samuel Cardy was the builder. The walls are of brick that was stuccoed over and painted white. The two-story portico facing Broad Street was the first of its size in colonial America and features Tuscan columns.
An organ by John Snetzler was fitted in 1768 but only the case remains; new organ 1994 by Kenneth Jones of Bray, Ireland.
In the north wall is a stained glass window that was given to the church in 1898 as a memorial to Mrs. E.A. Simons. The design of the window is a copy of "Easter Morning" using between 1800 and 2000 pieces in the six by ten foot window. It was created by Louis Lederlie for Tiffany Studios.
It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1960, and it was included in the first promulgation of the National Register in 1966.
St. Michael's Churchyard, adjacent to the church, is the resting place of some famous historical figures, including two signers of the U.S. Constitution.
Religious affiliation
St. Michael's was originally affiliated with the Church of England. Following the American Revolution the church came under the jurisdiction of what is now the Episcopal Church of the United States. Currently it is a parish church of the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina. In 2012 long simmering disagreements over doctrine and church discipline caused the Diocese of South Carolina to withdraw from the Episcopal Church. In June 2017 the diocese, and by extension St. Michael's, were received into the Anglican Church of North America. The parish continues to worship according to Anglican rites and traditions.
Clock and bells
The church houses a clock and change ringing bells dating from colonial times. The tower clock, which strikes the hours and quarters, was made by Aynsworth Thwaites Thwaites & Reed. The bells are one of four sets (Grace Church Cathedral â€" Episcopal, The Cathedral Church of Saint Luke and Saint Paul, and Stella Maris Catholic church) in the Charleston area. The bells were cast in 1764 by Lester and Pack of London and recast in 1866 (in London again).
Gallery
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Charleston, South Carolina
- List of National Historic Landmarks in South Carolina
- St. Michael's Churchyard
References
Further reading
- Beesley, Charles Norbury (1908). Beesley's Illustrated Guide to St. Michael's Church, Charleston, So. Ca. Charleston, S.C.: Walker, Evans & Cogswell Co. OCLCÂ 9168211.Â
- Williams, George Walton (2001). St. Michael's Charleston, 1751-1951Â : with supplements 1951-2001. Charleston, S.C.: College of Charleston Library. OCLCÂ 681818015.Â
External links
- Official website
- Saint Michael's Episcopal Church, Charleston County (80 Meeting St., Charleston), including four photos, at South Carolina Department of Archives and History
- Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) No. SC-62, "St. Michael's Church, 80 Meeting Street, Charleston, Charleston County, SC", 41 photos, 4 color transparencies, 11 measured drawings, 16 data pages, 5 photo caption pages
- site history
- National Historic Landmarks Program listing for Saint Michael's Episcopal Church
- National Register listings for Charleston County
- Historic Charleston's Religious and Community Buildings, a National Park Service Discover Our Shared Heritage Travel Itinerary
