Emmanuel Church
Why it's listed
Emmanuel Episcopal Church sits on a wooded ridge in Greenwood, Albemarle County, Virginia. It began in 1863 as a one-room church on land donated by James Bowen, who helped organize the congregation in 1860. A bell tower followed in 1905. In 1911 the children of Chiswell Dabney and Nancy Witcher Langhorne, including Nancy, later Lady Astor, hired Washington architect Waddy Wood to renovate and enlarge the building. He kept the original brick walls, replaced the tower, and added a cloister and parish hall. The Flemish-bond brick church has a slate gable roof, two-tier windows reminiscent of Christ Church in Alexandria, a Palladian chancel window, and a wineglass pulpit. Milton Grigg doubled the parish hall around 1940 and restored fire damage in the gallery. The six-acre property also includes a cemetery and a 1910 rectory. The church is valued for its refined Colonial Revival design and its links to the Langhorne family and notable clergy.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it an outstanding example of Colonial Revival ecclesiastical architecture in Albemarle County, showing the refinement and craftsmanship of early Colonial Revival work. It is also tied to the Langhorne family of nearby Mirador, including Nancy Langhorne, later Lady Astor, who with her siblings commissioned the renovation. Its rectors included Frederick Neve and Walter Russell Bowie, who are noted in the history.
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 82004535, listed July 8, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | US 250, Greenwood |
|---|---|
| County | Albemarle County |
| Listed | July 8, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82004535 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- |
| Architect / builder | Waddy Wood (additions and renovation) |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival Ecclesiastical |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as occupied, in good condition, in religious use; the form says the church continues to serve the Greenwood area. |
| Acreage | 6 |
| Within district | Greenwood-Afton Rural Historic District |
| Coordinates | 38.03321, -78.76310 (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 82004535.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5373178
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.