{"nrhp_refnum":"73002018","name":"Ware Parish Church","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"NE of Gloucester on VA 14","address_restricted":false,"city":"Gloucester","county":"Gloucester County","state":"VA","lat":37.42267797400007,"lon":-76.50728081909918,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1973-03-20","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture","Religion"],"significance_levels":["state"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A rectangular colonial brick parish church in a wooded, walled churchyard on the southeast side of Route 14, about one mile northeast of Route 17 near Gloucester Court House, Gloucester County, Virginia. It is dated to 1715.","why_significant":"The nomination calls it one of the earliest churches in Virginia and an excellent example of the rectangular colonial Virginia church. Its glazed Flemish bond brickwork survives in a remarkable state of preservation. It is the only colonial rectangular church to keep its three original entrances in unaltered form, and these are very early examples of pedimented brick doorways.","narrative":"Ware Parish Church is a rectangular brick church set in a large wooded churchyard enclosed by a colonial brick wall, southeast of Route 14 near Gloucester Court House. The building measures about 81 by 41 feet and has walls over three feet thick, laid in Flemish bond with glazed headers. Rubbed brick marks the corners, jambs and arches. Although the roof covering and cornice are modern, the sashes and several interior elements are thought to be colonial. Ware is the only rectangular colonial church to keep its three original entrances, and its pedimented brick doorways are very early examples of a form typical of colonial Virginia churches. The parish was formed in 1657. The present church was once dated to 1693, but 1715 is now accepted on architectural evidence. It was built during the rectorship of James Clack, who is buried beside the chancel wall. Soldiers camped at the church during the Revolution and the Civil War, and repairs followed in 1827, 1854 and 1878.","period_of_significance":"18th Century (specific date 1715)","architect_builder":null,"architectural_style":"Colonial Virginia rectangular church","criteria":[],"status_note":"Condition listed as excellent; altered; on original site; occupied and in religious use.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:51:56.679627-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/40/6809/41680940/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_VA/73002018.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/73002018/3693ba8bd4-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/73002018/3693ba8bd4-1600.webp","licence":"Public domain","author":"Unknown authorUnknown author","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ware_Church,_State_Route_3,_Gloucester_vicinity_(Gloucester_County,_Virginia).jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Unknown authorUnknown author</a>, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ware_Church,_State_Route_3,_Gloucester_vicinity_(Gloucester_County,_Virginia).jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/41680940","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ware_Parish_Church","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7969252"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/virginia/gloucester-county/ware-parish-church-73002018/"}