St. John's Church
Also known as: Grub Hill Church
Why it's listed
Grub Hill Church, formally St. John's, is a one-story brick parish church set on a small knoll in the farmland of Amelia County, Virginia. Bishop William Meade consecrated it on June 4, 1852, replacing a wooden church built on the site in 1762. The land came from the Tabb family, and the name Grub Hill recalls their slave quarters. The rectangular, gable-roofed building is laid in four-course American bond and shows a vernacular take on the Gothic Revival, with pointed-arched diamond-pane windows, paneled Gothic doors and brick corner buttresses topped with pinnacles. Inside, scrolled end pews, a rear servants' gallery, original carpeting and a baptismal font dated 1858 survive. A reredos and triptych carved by H. Jacob date to 1870. A cast-iron fence from the 1870s encloses the church and its cemetery. Its largely unaltered state makes it a clear picture of a rural 19th-century congregation.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is a significant example of a small rural parish church that survives in a relatively unaltered state. It is a vernacular interpretation of the Gothic Revival as popularized in church architecture by the mid-19th century. The interior keeps its original furnishings and gives a complete picture of a 19th-century rural church.
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 78003003, listed November 16, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 3.8 mi (6 km) W of Chula on VA 609, Chula |
|---|---|
| County | Amelia County |
| Listed | November 16, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78003003 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Vernacular Gothic Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as unaltered inside and out and well preserved; used sparingly, only for summer services, while the cemetery still serves the community. |
| Acreage | 1.5 |
| Coordinates | 37.39956, -77.97020 (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 78003003.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7588630
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.