{"nrhp_refnum":"72001513","name":"Blandford Church","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"319 S. Crater Rd.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Petersburg (Independent City)","county":"Petersburg","state":"VA","lat":37.22604680500007,"lon":-77.38751882799994,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1972-05-31","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture"],"significance_levels":["state"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"Blandford Church is an eighteenth-century brick church of Bristol Parish at 319 S. Crater Road in Petersburg, Virginia. The original block was completed in 1736 or 1737, and a north wing and churchyard wall were added between 1752 and 1769.","why_significant":"The nomination argues the church is significant for its architecture. It was modeled on Merchant's Hope Church in Prince George County and closely resembles it in form and detailing. Most of its fine brickwork survives, and an eighteenth-century churchyard wall remains. Together these place it among Virginia's important eighteenth-century Anglican churches.","narrative":"Blandford Church is a one-story brick church in Petersburg, Virginia, built in two phases during the eighteenth century. Thomas Ravenscroft completed the original block, about 64 by 29 feet, in 1736 or 1737. Colonel Richard Bland later added a north wing and the surrounding churchyard wall, between 1752 and 1769. The brick is laid mostly in Flemish bond with glazed headers, and the main windows and east doorway have arches of rubbed brick. The church was the third building of Bristol Parish and takes its name from the town of Blandford, now part of Petersburg. The parish moved most services to a new church in Petersburg, and in 1819 the building passed to the town. The city made repairs in 1882, including the slate roof, and in 1901 authorized a restoration. It was modeled on Merchant's Hope Church in Prince George County. Its surviving brickwork and colonial churchyard wall place it among Virginia's important eighteenth-century Anglican churches.","period_of_significance":"18th Century","architect_builder":"Mr. Thomas Ravenscroft (original block); Colonel Richard Bland (north wing and wall)","architectural_style":"Eighteenth-century Anglican church architecture, modeled on Merchant's Hope Church","criteria":[],"status_note":"Listed in excellent condition, unaltered and on its original site. It is publicly owned and used as a museum.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:51:56.889467-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/18/6825/41682518/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_VA/72001513.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/72001513/5e6447d856-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/72001513/5e6447d856-1600.webp","licence":"Public domain","author":"Smallbones","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:BlandfordChurchPetersburg.JPG\" rel=\"noopener\">Smallbones</a>, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:BlandfordChurchPetersburg.JPG"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/41682518","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blandford_Church","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4925012"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/virginia/petersburg/blandford-church-72001513/"}