· HISTORY

· FACILITIES
      Chapel
      Parish Hall
      Ed. Buildings
      Thompson H.
      Cemetery

· POLICIES

· CLERGY & STAFF

· LAY LEADERS

· VESTRY MEETING MINUTES

· ANGLICAN FAITH

Our Buildings and Grounds

Click here for the architectural plans of the Chapel.

The Chapel
Built in 1848 and placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972, the Chapel of the Cross is an example of Gothic Revival design with a lofty bell tower, tall narrow windows, and an arched, side entrance. It was placed "at the summit of a gentle rise about one-fourth mile from Annandale" plantation where Margaret Johnstone, benefactress of the Chapel, lived.

The noted English architect, Frank Wills, is credited with the design of the Chapel, and the Rev. John Freeman Young residing at Annandale plantation supervised the construction with the help of local craftsmen. Workers from Annandale and nearby Ingleside plantation hewed by hand the lumber from oak trees growing on the plantation to make the beams and baked the brick.

The original design sketch, entitled "Sketch of A First-Pointed Church," and its accompanying ground plan were modified to meet the needs of a small congregation. Only the nave and the chancel were utilized, omitting transepts and tower, but the diminutive results were ecclesiological excellence, even to the orientation of the chancel eastward and south porch.

Inside, the wooden roof trusses echo the lancet shapes of the exterior; wide heart-pine floors and warm-white plastered walls capture the gentle, simple spirit of this medieval English style.  The altar, bishop's chair and railing darkened with age are of carved oak imported from England. The baptismal font is fashioned from one piece of unpolished Italian stone. The arched entrance floors were cut from two pieces of solid oak trimmed with hand-shaped molding. The pews and chancel furnishings were from New Orleans. The inside roof is said to replicate the floor of an ark.

The Chapel was consecrated on July 19, 1852 by Bishop William Mercer Green.

Historical Source: The Johnstones of Annandale by Hugh Miller Thompson, II

The Rectory
Adjacent to the Chapel, Margaret Johnston had constructed a rectory which was designed by the same architect who built the Manship House in Jackson, an excellent example of Gothic Revival residential architecture. Architect A. J. Downing called the rectory's architectural style "Rural Cottage Gothic."

Only three rectors ever lived in the Rectory. In 1866, Daniel Mann purchased the rectory from Margaret Johnstone as a residence. Through the years, the Mann family and later a succession of managers of the Mannsdale plantation lived in the house. In the late 1940s, Lee and Pat Dewees bought the house and began a major renovation. Lee is the great-great-grandson of Daniel Mann. The original 4,000-square-foot house was composed of six 20 by 20 rooms with 14-foot ceilings, and the front hallway with Gothic arches at either end was built large and airy for cross ventilation. The lacy decorative woodwork on the outside of the house is called "bargeboard."

A donor has given to the church the original rectory and nine acres that join the existing property.

The Parish House
The 4,500 square-foot Parish House includes a large Parish Hall, kitchen and offices for the clergy and laity. The Parish Hall has been renovated recently to provide space for parallel services beginning in the fall - services will be held concurrently in the Chapel and in the Parish Hall to accommodate our members and visitors.

The renovations were done by Sandy McNeal, acclaimed religious artist and creative stage set designer, parishioner and architect Bob Moore, Rick Suber, a premier carpenter, and world-famous sculptor Fletcher Cox. The changes l enhance the hall's function as a lecture hall, Adult Sunday School room, Wednesday night supper dining area, youth stage plays site, reception locale for weddings, confirmation, and all large gatherings of our faith community.

The Tree of Life:
A Sculpture by Thomas Morrison

Throughout the Bible from the beginning - Genesis - to the end - Revelation - water, rain, seas and trees are symbols of and metaphors for energy, growth, spirituality, strength, knowledge and life. When the first inkling occurred over two years ago to convert the Parish Hall to a place of worship, a representation of The Tree of Life was envisioned as an integral part of the setting. After completing the altar/stage and vaulting portals plus convening numerous discussions concerning the creative representation of The Tree of Life, Chapel of the Cross, upon the recommendation of Sandy McNeal and Fletcher Cox, commissioned Thomas Morrison, a local artist, to create, sculpt and install his composition of The Tree of Life. His magnificent sculpture is now finished and hangs on the west wall of the Parish Hall.

ome see our powerful and thought provoking work of art. Sense its spiritual energy. Ponder its beauty and mystery. How does it speak to you? The following is a Thomas Morrison's Artistic Statement. The Tree of Life: Artistic Statement by Thomas Morrison The Tree of Life, a 71/2 by 20 foot clay bas-relief wall sculpture, is one of the largest of its kind in this area of the country. It is constructed from 1,300 pounds of wet, white stoneware and fired at temperatures of 2,600 degrees F. It is backed entirely with black sheet steel and anchored to the wall with angle iron. In some areas of the composition the steel becomes a second medium. My approach to the Tree of Life theme is a very simplistic branching design. I kept the design simple in order to keep the message clear. The heavy branching roots at the bottom of the composition represent a beginning and the gathering of sustenance that sustains and nourishes growth. From the strong center trunk form, the piece begins to branch out. The branch to the right that ends abruptly at 16 fee represents our mortality. The vine that clings to this branch represents the challenges in life that pull and wear on our physical and spiritual being. The middle branch represents the spiritual part of us that triumphs and breaks free of the vine. The branches on the left represent the constant spiritual presence that grows with us throughout our mortal lives and and beyond. The top of the composition is a merging of the triumphant spirit within us, and the constant spiritual presence that is with us always. To communicate this merging I have used the imagery of religious architectural icons in harmony with the organic architecture of branching patterns.

The Thompson House
The Thompson House was the first Parish House for the Chapel. It has undergone several renovations. It was lovingly built by parishioners and named in honor of member Hugh Thompson. It is currently used by Rite 13 on Sunday mornings and as a vesting area for acolytes.

The Education Buildings

Dedicated on October 4, 1998, the Education Building is 12,885 square feet, providing facilities for teaching all ages from infants through adults. The upstairs has spacious youth rooms.

The Choir Building has rehearsal hall and vesting room for the choir, office for the Choirmaster/Organist, office for the Youth Minister, and library used for Sunday School and committee meetings.

A special part of the Education Building is the Covington Room which is furnished comfortably and very beautifully with carpet, artwork, large conference table and upholstered chairs. The room is named in memory of Aston Covington, and many memorial gifts were used to decorate the room.

It is hoped that the room will be used often as described in the dedication prayer: "Grant that this room may be a place of learning and reflection, that we may come to know God more fully, follow your will more faithfully, and grow in your love and service, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen." Please call the Chapel office if you wish to schedule the room for a small group meeting.

The Cemetery
The historic cemetery contains graves of Bishop Hugh Miller Thompson and many parishioners. Henry Vick was buried there in the wee morning hours of the day he was supposed to be wed in the Chapel to Helen Johnstone, daughter of Margaret Johnstone who had the Chapel built. Helen, who became known as "The Bride of Annandale," placed an iron bench beside the grave where she sat and mourned Henry. Two bronze statues of Vick's hunting dogs guard his grave.

Symbolic of the Chapel family's welcoming attitude towards all, special permission was secured for the burial of agnostic John Humphreys of Cork, Ireland, who attended services at the Chapel, but never voiced a change in belief.

The gate and fence around the historic part of the cemetery have recently been restored. A matching arch stands at the gates to the Chapel ground, and the scrollwork on the gate and fence are used as the background on the Sunday bulletins, and have been replicated in crosses for necklaces and on the holder of the memorial candle which burns eternally in the Chapel.

The new part of the cemetery has sections for graves and for urns of ashes.