church

White Chapel Methodist Church - Fort Valley, Virginia /  by Todd Henson

White Chapel Methodist Church in Fort Valley, Virginia

My father and I were on a day drive through Fort Valley, Virginia, enjoying the beautiful scenery when another car came up behind us. Not wanting to slow them down I chose to pull onto a side road to let them pass. Of course, they ended up pulling onto the same side road. 😊 So I drove a little further to find somewhere to turn around when we saw this beautiful little church on a small hill.

A front view of White Chapel Methodist Church in Fort Valley, Virginia

As I often do I tried to find some history of White Chapel Methodist Church, but didn’t find much. It appears a more recent structure than I usually photograph but I was struck by how beautiful it looked against the slightly stormy backdrop, so I thought it might make for some equally beautiful photographs. I hope I’ve done it justice, and that anyone who attends the church might enjoy them.

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Grace Episcopal Church, The Plains, Virginia /  by Todd Henson

Grace Episcopal Church in The Plains, Virginia

The first time I viewed Grace Episcopal Church in The Plains, Virginia, was many, many years back when randomly driving through the night with a friend. I recall how beautiful it looked illuminated at night. I’ve yet to return at night to see and photograph this magnificent structure, but I did return with my father in late September of 2024, when we stopped and walked up and down Main Street and I created a number of photographs of the church.

A touch of Grace in The Plains

Red doors of Grace Episcopal Church

The Plains, originally called White Plains, was around before the Civil War, and in 1831 had a Post Office named The Plains. It grew from there and was incorporated as a town in 1910, though it still remains a very small town with a population of 245 as per the 2020 census. Today it is part of Fauquier County.

Grace in The Plains

The history of Grace Episcopal Church stretches back to 1855, though the current stone structure was consecrated on June 28, 1918 and was built from stones donated from local farms. It’s an example of 13th century rural English Gothic architecture, and perhaps that’s why I find it so compelling, that older gothic style and the beautiful stonework, the arches and steeples, the deep red doors. And unlike some churches in larger towns, this one still has a sizable property that sets the structure away from the road and from distracting power lines. It’s a very beautiful location.

Visit their website to learn more about the history of Grace in the Plains.

The grounds of Grace Episcopal Church in The Plains, Virginia

Part of the old stone wall around Grace Episcopal Church in The Plains, Virginia

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Grace Memorial Church, Port Republic, Virginia /  by Todd Henson

Grace Memorial Church in Port Republic, Virginia, as viewed from their gravel parking lot

My father and I happened by this church while on a road trip elsewhere and on our way back decided to stop and capture some photographs. A storm was headed our way but you can hardly tell as it was coming from the other direction. We left just a few minutes before the rain began to fall.

An angled view showing Grace Memorial Church and their original church bell displayed in the foreground

I wasn’t able to find much historical information about this church, but they did have their original church bell on display in the church yard. The sign there indicated the bell had been purchased at a local auction and was thought to be the Lynnwood School bell. It required a new cradle so the new owner took the bell back to the foundry that had built it which was still in business, McShane Foundry, in Baltimore, Maryland. According to the foundry records this was actually the original church bell and dated from 1889.

The original church bell of Grace Memorial Church

Apparently there used to be an historical marker in the center of the gravel parking lot of the church about the Port Republic Battlefield, marking a battle of the US Civil War that occurred at this location. But it was destroyed in 2006 by a tractor-trailer attempting to turn around in the parking lot. So the marker was rebuilt and relocated just off the other side of the road from the church.

The historical marker says that on June 9, 1862, Confederate General T. J. “Stonewall Jackson” defeated General J. Shield’s vanguard advancing from Elkton under General R. O. Tyler. It says there were 4500 Federals, of which 551 were killed, wounded, or missing, and 450 were captured. There were 6000 Confederates, of which 804 were killed or wounded.

What was once the location of a battle of the US Civil War is now home to a practicing Episcopal church, one whose original church bell was created 27 years after the battle.

Grace Memorial Episcopal Church, Port Republic, Virginia

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