Christ’s Chapel: Mission Accomplished

Christ’s Chapel: Mission Accomplished

By John T. Toler

Due to difficult road and weather conditions, during the 19th century several Fauquier County congregations established branch “mission churches” in outlying areas. On Sundays, pastors would travel by horse-and-buggy to those satellite churches after preaching at the home church.

One such mission church was established by St. James Episcopal Church on Baldwin’s Ridge east of Warrenton to serve communicants living in the area.

Christ’s Church on Baldwin’s Ridge east of Warrenton, a mission church of St. James Episcopal Church, Warrenton, as it appeared about 1905. Completed in 1883, the chapel served until 1949. It was demolished in 1951. Photo courtesy of St. James’ Episcopal Church.

Christ’s Church on Baldwin’s Ridge east of Warrenton, a mission church of St. James Episcopal Church, Warrenton, as it appeared about 1905. Completed in 1883, the chapel served until 1949. It was demolished in 1951. Photo courtesy of St. James’ Episcopal Church.

Planning began in 1878 during the ministry of Rector Rev. George W. Nelson, who appointed a Board of Trustees to carry out the project, which would include the chapel and cemetery grounds.

The original plan called for the mission church to be built in New Baltimore, but when Joseph W. Blackwell offered to donate property at Mates Hill on Baldwin’s Ridge, it was decided to build there. Money for the project had to be raised, and the church, known as Christ’s Chapel, was completed in 1883 and consecrated in 1890 by the Rt. Rev. R. A. Gibson.

Mrs. Mary Ann Gray Day (1925-2013) recalled in 2000 that the sanctuary had a beautiful stained-glass window and two small rooms on each side. The Rev. Paul Bowden, Rector of St. James’ from 1920- 1963, conducted services there on Sundays at 3 p.m., usually accompanied by organist William Street.

Mrs. Day noted that the traveled road used to be on the right side facing the chapel, while the presentday Baldwin’s Ridge Road on the left was just a path that led to a farmhouse on the hill.

By March,1904, St. James’ had a membership of 161, including 20 members of Christ’s Chapel. The first burial in the chapel cemetery was in 1882, when Mrs. Mary Montague Laird was laid to rest. As the years passed, the chapel remained an active ministry of St. James’, with baptisms, confirmations, weddings and funerals conducted there for generations. The last burial was in March 1915.

The relationship with the chapel and the main church was always strong, with shared resources and the support of the clerical staff, especially Rev. Bowden, who also taught Sunday school at the chapel during the 1930s.

The aging of the congregation, along with the rationing of gasoline and supplies during World War II, resulted in reduced use of the mission chapel. Mrs. Day recalled that by the end of the war, “The Grays were just about the only ones there.”

By 1946, the chapel was closed, and in 1949 was deconsecrated. Furnishings, including a small organ, were transferred to St. James, and in 1951 the building was demolished. All that remained was the cemetery.

The post-war years brought unprecedented growth to Fauquier County, with the earliest rural residential developments starting east of Warrenton off Route 605, present-day Dumfries Road. These projects included Rock Springs and the Fleetwood subdivision on present-day Atlee Road. Coming later were Mill Run and Marstella, and soon the Christ’s Church cemetery was surrounded by houses.