Were you aware that Saint Andrew’s Parish Church is the oldest surviving church building south of Virginia? Built in 1706 this simple church has a rich history. Today we will delve into the captivating story of Saint Andrew’s Episcopal Church commonly known as Old St. Andrew’s.
Saint Andrew’s Parish Church was established by the Church Act of 1706. It was one of ten Anglican churches in South Carolina. The church served Anglican planters along the Ashley River. This river was a vital waterway connecting them to Charles Town and each other.
Three worship services are still held in this ancient building every Sunday. Many of its earliest counterparts are still used but less often. Saint Andrew’s is older than all of them. Others have been replaced or augmented by newer buildings. Some are centuries old themselves and some are modern. Still others have vanished. Their ruins stand in eerie silence to ages past. Visitors see a beautifully restored building. Saint Andrew’s hides a past that has left it for dead many times.
Rice indigo and enslaved people brought prosperity to the Ashley River lands. Some of the wealthiest plantations in British North America were here. In 1723 Saint Andrew’s was expanded into a cross shape. This accommodated a growing population. It is South Carolina’s only remaining colonial cruciform church. The church survived a major fire in the 1760s. It was quickly rebuilt inside its existing walls.
Before the Revolution the parish declined. Ministering to the enslaved became the focus of the clergy. This happened at the church and at three plantation chapels. From 1851 to 1891 Reverend John Grimké Drayton served as rector. He was the renowned horticulturalist at Magnolia-on-the-Ashley just north of Saint Andrew’s.
Saint Andrew’s was one of the few buildings along the Ashley that Union troops did not burn. This happened at the end of the Civil War. It became a polling place. Saint Andrew’s did not reopen until 1876 eleven years after the war. The parish found itself at the epicenter of two major events. The phosphate mining boom along the Ashley and the Great Earthquake of 1886. The earthquake caused significant damage to the church. After Reverend Drayton died in 1891 Saint Andrew’s lay dormant for fifty-seven years.
In 1948 Episcopalians moving to West Ashley reopened the dilapidated church. It was far from new residential developments. Dogged perseverance brought slow but continual improvements. A parish house was built. Then it was expanded twice quickly. Hurricane Hugo in 1989 caused major damage to the graveyard.
Into the twenty-first century Saint Andrew’s undertook the most extensive restoration in its history. It celebrated its tercentennial. In 2013 Old St. Andrew’s aligned with the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina. It left The Episcopal Church after discernment.
For more than 300 years Saint Andrew’s Parish Church has survived. Indeed it has thrived against all odds. Against All Odds tells the story of the oldest surviving church. It is the only remaining colonial cruciform church in South Carolina.
Reverend Marshall Huey the nineteenth rector said the church is a monument to faith. Faith in God faith in its people faith that no matter the odds we would prevail and grow. And we have.
Paul Porwoll a parishioner wrote the book. He fell in love with Old St. Andrew’s the first time he walked through the graveyard. His passion for history research and writing compelled him to tell the story.
The 2024 revised edition tells the story of the church’s legal struggle. This was to keep its property after it left The Episcopal Church. The South Carolina Supreme Court ruled against Old St. Andrew’s twice. Using every legal remedy the church refused to buckle. It withstood these challenges. In the end it won its case and retained its properties.
As we conclude our visit to Saint Andrew’s Episcopal Church remember its enduring legacy. From its colonial beginnings to its modern-day thriving community. Saint Andrew’s stands as a testament to faith resilience and the power of community. A true Charleston hidden gem.