St. David's Church and Graveyard
Also known as: St. David`s Episcopal Church
Why it's listed
Built of rubble stone beginning in 1715 on the border of Newtown and Radnor Townships in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, St. David's is a one-story rectangular church with a shingled gable roof. Its cornerstone was laid on May 9, 1715, and much of the construction was carried out by its Welsh-speaking parishioners, who followed the simple one-room form of medieval Welsh country churches. The church was in use by March 1717 and was named for St. David, patron of Wales. It served as the parent parish of ten other congregations and was represented at the first General Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church in 1784. The churchyard contains the identifiable gravestones of eleven soldiers of the Revolutionary War, including Major General Anthony Wayne. Its fabric is regarded as the oldest non-Quaker house of worship in Delaware and Chester Counties and one of the earliest in Pennsylvania. Poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow later wrote about it in the poem Old St. David's at Radnor.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the church is a fine example of an early stone church and represents the oldest non-Quaker house of worship in Delaware and Chester Counties and one of the earliest in the state. Its basic structure remains externally as erected in 1715. The churchyard holds the gravestones of eleven Revolutionary War soldiers, including Major General Anthony Wayne, and the church was the parent of ten other congregations.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 78002394, listed September 20, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 7 mi. (11 km) N of Media, Media |
|---|---|
| County | Delaware County |
| Listed | September 20, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78002394 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1715-17 |
| Architectural style | one room, rectangular mediaeval Welsh country church style |
| Areas of significance | Art, Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | National |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 40.02691, -75.40454 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Religious properties are listed for their architectural or historical significance, not their religious use. Listing is honorary and does not restrict the congregation's use of the building. The federal rehabilitation credit is generally unavailable unless part of the building is income-producing; some state programmes and preservation grants do cover religious buildings. Federal funding or permits trigger Section 106 review.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 78002394.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7587707
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.