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Christ Episcopal Church Of Eastville

16304 Courthouse Road

About Us:

Christ Church was built in 1828, to replace the Magotha Bay Church, which had been the "Lower" Church of Hungars Parish in colonial days. The present Hungars Church, which lies about eight miles to the north in Bridgetown, was the "Upper" Church of the Parish. Prayer Book services have been held in Hungars Parish since 1623, when the first rector, Francis Bolton, came to minister to the original settlers sent from Jamestown to collect salt. Emmanuel Church in Cape Charles, built in 1888, is the newest church in what is now known as Hungars Cure Parish.

The Communion Service (flagon, chalice and paten) in Christ Church was given in 1741 by John Custis of Arlington, father-in-law of Martha Custis, whose second husband was George Washington. The beautiful hand-wrought silver alms basin was presented by Lt. Gov. Francis Nicholson who came to Virginia in 1690 and was one of the Founders of the College of William and Mary. This alms basin is the only piece of pre-Revolutionary silver of American manufacture remaining in the Diocese. The above named silver was formerly the property of Magotha Bay Church.

At first the Church did not have a recessed chancel; the wall facing the west was built straight across with two windows opposite the front ones. The chancel was almost square and one step higher than the body of the Church. The original windows were all like the plain glass windows now in front. The stained glass windows were added in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and are all memorial gifts. Restoration of the stained glass was begun in the spring of 1992. The choir was in the Gallery. In 1986, a classic Baroque Revival pipe organ was added through the generosity of Kendall Addison Jarvis.

The land on which Christ Church was built was given by Severn E. Parker of Kendall Grove. The deed was unrecorded during his lifetime, but was made legal by his daughter, Catherine Parker Costin.

The Parish Hall was added in 1974 on land given by Robert S. and Ellen B. Trower and currently houses the Parish offices. Several Rectories have been owned during the church's history; the most recent was acquired in 1985 and lies one-half mile to the south of the church.