Must-See RVA! — Meade Memorial Episcopal Church

1201 Decatur Street
Built, 1869
VDHR 127-0859

A sun-lit corner lot on Decatur makes it’s white exterior striking, but the Church of the God of Prophecy used to roll without the siding.

August 2014

In the days after the Revolution, the Episcopal Church was on the outs. Association with the Church of England and association with things British wasn’t cool everywhere, so Manchesterians still into the King James prayer book bounced between various locations, or attended Monumental or St. John’s across the river. [OME]

August 2014

In 1869 they found a permanent spot on Decatur.

… a one-story, frame, Gothic Revival church. It has a gable-end front with a center projecting vestibule and a steeple with a pyramidal roof. The steeple has pointed-arch openings at the sides.

August 2014

The side of the church, five-bays deep, is defined by buttresses and pointed-arch windows with stained glass. The unusual wood buttresses are covered with alternating courses of square, butt-cut and pointed-cut wood shingles. (VDHR)

(VDHR)

At some point, the brick must have been showing some wear, and the siding was added, starting with a lovely faux brick (above), and eventually the vinyl clapboard it sports today.

August 2014

In some ways it reminds you of 1st Baptist Church, just up the road, built 10 years after this. Same rectangular steeple, same gable-end front with center projecting vestibule. Pity they didn’t go with the buttresses too – a nice feature.

Not on the historic register by itself, but it’s listed with many other on the VDHR registration for the Manchester Residential & Commercial Historic District.

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