Grace Church
Also known as: Grace Church, Cismont
Why it's listed
Set among ancient trees on a hill above Route 231 near Cismont, Grace Church is a Gothic Revival parish church with an adjoining cemetery. Built at mid-century from drawings signed by architect William Strickland in 1847, it is his only known work in Virginia. Strickland, a student of Benjamin Henry Latrobe, is best known for Greek Revival landmarks such as the Second Bank of the United States in Philadelphia, which makes this Gothic design unusual. Mrs. William Cabell Rives of Castle Hill promoted the building as a fine example of architecture. The ashlar exterior has a square central tower, a gabled entrance portal, corner buttresses with pinnacles and lancet windows. A fire in 1895 gutted the interior, and the rebuilding added a larger chancel and shifted the church toward a High Church orientation. The exterior remains close to Strickland's design, and the congregation is still active. The church succeeded a colonial chapel called Walkers.
Significance in brief: It is the only known work in Virginia by William Strickland, a leading American architect of the first half of the nineteenth century. Strickland mostly designed in the Greek Revival style, so his Gothic works are comparatively rare. The exterior survives essentially as he designed it, and the church was commissioned by Mrs. William Cabell Rives of nearby Castle Hill.
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 76002091, listed October 21, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | NE of Cismont on VA 231, Cismont |
|---|---|
| County | Albemarle County |
| Listed | October 21, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76002091 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | William Strickland; interior woodwork by McSparren |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The church continues to house an active congregation; the form lists it as occupied and in religious use. |
| Acreage | 5 |
| Within district | Southwest Mountains Rural Historic District |
| Coordinates | 38.06088, -78.30821 (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 76002091.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5591123
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.