Cokesbury Church
Also known as: Cokesbury United Methodist Church; DHR File#273-001-0171; Cokesbury M.E. Church
Why it's listed
Cokesbury Church is a single-story frame church at 13 Market Street, next to the town square in Onancock. Built in 1854-55 in the Greek Revival style, it has a temple front, weatherboard siding and a raised stuccoed brick foundation. A Gothic Revival entrance and bell tower was added in the 1880s after a storm destroyed the earlier cupola, and a major remodeling in 1892-94 brought stained glass windows from Philadelphia, oak pews, grained woodwork and a coved ceiling. Hurricane Hazel damaged the spire in 1954, and it was replaced by a shorter pyramidal one. The church grew from a Methodist meeting established around 1788 after a visit by Francis Asbury. It was listed for architecture because it is one of the oldest surviving Methodist churches on Virginia's Eastern Shore and the best preserved. A cemetery with about thirty markers, including four ministers' graves, lies to the north and west. The congregation held its last services in 1996.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is one of the two oldest surviving Methodist church buildings on Virginia's Eastern Shore and the best preserved, since the older church at Oak Hall was heavily altered. Its Greek Revival body with late nineteenth-century Gothic Revival and Victorian changes reflects local church design trends from 1850 to 1900. It also represents the early Methodist meeting in Onancock, founded around 1788.
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 04001265, listed November 27, 2004. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 13 Market St., Onancock |
|---|---|
| County | Accomack County |
| Listed | November 27, 2004 |
| Reference number | 04001265 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1854-1894 |
| Architectural style | Mid-19th Century/Greek Revival; Late Victorian/Gothic (tower addition) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The congregation held its last services in 1996. The building's current functions are listed as church, auditorium, museum and cemetery. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 37.71408, -75.75215 (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 04001265.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5141735
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.