Coventry Parish Ruins
Coventry Parish's vestry erected a two-story seven-by-three-bay Flemish bond brick church between 1785 and 1788, one of the most difficult times for the denomination in Maryland, since it reorganized as the Episcopal Church as well as was disestablished (lost state support). At the time of its construction, the 76 foot by 56 foot structure was the largest Episcopal church on Maryland's Eastern Shore, only slightly smaller than Hungars Church further down the Delmarva Peninsula in Northampton County, Virginia. It was partially built using bricks from an older church nearby, which was dismantled. The church remained in use until the late 19th century, when the few remaining parishioners decided to combine with what had been the chapel of ease, St. Paul's at Marion, Maryland (where Maryland route 667, on which this stands connects to U.S. Route 13 down the Delmarva Peninsula, as well as Maryland Route 413). The ruined edifice was stabilized in 1928 and again in 2005.
The ruin has been reduced to three primary walls, since the south wall rises only a foot above ground level, except for one single-story pier, and was once known for its 10 arches.
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.
References
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
- ^ Middleton, the Rev. Canon Arthur Pierce, Ph.D., Anglican Maryland, 1692-1792, Virginia Beach: The Donning Company, 1992, pp. 5, 12, ISBN 0-89865-841-1
- ^ NRIS available at http://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/stagsere/se1/se5/019000/019600/019657/pdf/msa_se5_19657.pdf
- ^ Paul B. Touart (January 1984). "National Register of Historic Places Registration: Coventry Parish Ruins" (PDF). Maryland Historical Trust. Retrieved 2016-03-01.
External links
- Coventry Parish Ruins, Somerset County, including photo from 1967, at Maryland Historical Trust