Trinity Episcopal Cathedral (Columbia, South Carolina)

Trinity Episcopal Church, now known as Trinity Episcopal Cathedral is the first Episcopal church and the oldest surviving church building ever in Columbia, South Carolina, United States. It is a neo-Gothic church, which was planned on the model of York Minster in York, England by Edward Brickell White. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on February 24, 1971.

The Trinity Church is located on the eastern side of Sumter Street between Gervais and Senate Street near the South Carolina State House.

Early history

The Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina founded in 1810, the Society for the Advancement of Christianity in South Carolina. This sent in 1812 Reverend Fowler to Columbia to build a church here. This was founded on August 8, 1812. Bishop Theodore Dehon held on May 13, 1813 a church service in the State House. The community was incorporated by the South Carolina General Assembly as the Episcopal Church in Columbia.

The government gave the Presbyterian and Episcopal church four plots. This was done under the condition that half of the land value must be paid to the municipalities of the Baptist and Methodist churches so that they could build their parish churches.

The foundation stone for the new church took place on March 7, 1814 and the Trinity Church was consecrated by Bishop Dehon on 14 December of the same year. The wooden church building on the southeast corner of Sumter and Gervais Street had a cross-shaped floor plan. General Hampton donated $ 2,000, and the church organ.

After the church was four years without a priest, was sent as a lay preacher Peter J. Shand of the diocese. He was appointed on January 19, 1834 Deacon and determined by dendiedas sacristy to guide the Church. He did this for the next 52 years. The congregation grew, started in 1838 in the event of the Sunday school for African Americans, 1839 a new organ was installed in 1844 and took a school for poor students on the service.

Architecture

Since the church was no longer adequate for the growing community, the foundation stone was laid for a new building by Peter Shand on 26 November 1845. This neo-Gothic building was designed by Edward Brickell White, who was based on the medieval cathedral of the city of York in England. Although the plan envisaged a crucifix -shaped floor plan, but was only built the nave and the Zwilligns steeple. Each tower had eight pinnacles with heraldic lilies. The brick building was plastered. The towers and external walls have settled brace works. The nave has a clerestory, this is the only such church in Columbia. The roof is supported by freely exposed wooden beams. Bishop Gadsden consecrated the church on 14 February 1857.

The baptismal font was donated by John S. Preston and designed by the sculptor Hiram Powers. It later became the Church of the Nativity given in Union and replaced by another foundation of the Preston family, which was also carved by Hiram Powers.

Around 1860 crafted stained glass windows were installed in Munich. Under the supervision of Edward Brickell White were in 1861 and 1862, that is added in the early days of the Confederate States of America, the transepts and an apse. A crafted stained glass window in memory of the longtime pastor Peter Shand was built in 1890 in the sanctuary.

Later history

The local legend parishioners have the episcopal symbols removed and replaced with crosses on the roof made ​​of paper mache before the Union army marched into Columbia on February 17, 1865. They hoped thereby better protection for the Church, because William T. Sherman was a Catholic. The parsonage was a fire in Columbia prey to the church itself survived the fire. General burned south from the Gervais Street just a few houses. A photograph from 1862 shows in any case a large cross on the top of the gable on the front of the church.

In June 1865, commander of the Union Army in the garrison of Columbia Reverend Shand called for the participation of a member of his staff at the service of a public prayer for the President in accordance with the Book of Common Prayer. Although the happened, but as Shand began with the prayer, the worshipers stood up, without waiting for the Amen.

The diocese was divided in 1922. The Trinity Church was the Episcopal Diocese of Upper South Carolina slammed and determined on January 19, 1922 Cathedral of the Diocese.

Churchyard

At three different times in the history of church life oaks were planted in the churchyard. The first oak was planted after the construction of the first church in 1814, the second in 1900 and third in 1925 when the parish house was completed. The cemetery is surrounded by a cast iron fence.

The cemetery is burial place for a number of well-known citizens of South Carolinias, including Generals Wade Hampton I. and Peter Horry from the Revolutionary War, the veteran of the War of 1812 and plantation owner Wade Hampton II, the politician Thomas Cooper, the poet Henry Timrod, Senator William Preston and six governors of the State of South Carolina - Richard Irvine Manning, John Lawrence Manning, Wade Hampton III, Hugh Smith Thompson, Richard Irvine Manning III and James F. Byrnes and eight bishops, including Ellison Capers. .