St. John's Church
Also known as: Elizabeth City Parish Church
Why it's listed
Built around 1728 at the corner of West Queen and Court Streets in Hampton, St. John's Church is a brick house of worship laid out in the shape of a Latin cross, one of only six colonial churches in Virginia to survive in that form. It is the fourth church to serve Elizabeth City Parish, said to be the oldest active Anglican parish in America. The walls use Flemish bond with glazed headers above the water table and English bond below, with rubbed brick around the arched windows. War repeatedly damaged the building: British bombardment in 1775, ransacking in the War of 1812, and burning by Confederate forces in 1861. Only the walls remain from the original church, and the interior dates from after 1870, with fine stained glass. The church also holds communion silver from 1618-19 and a Breeches Bible dated 1599. A graveyard with stones from old local families surrounds it.
Significance in brief: It is the fourth church building of an ancient parish said to be the oldest active Anglican parish in America. Its original brick walls are a classic example of early-eighteenth century Virginia brickwork, and it is one of six remaining colonial Virginia churches built in a Latin cross shape. Its English communion silver, dating from 1618-19, is said to have been in use longer than any other in America.
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 70000871, listed February 26, 1970. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | NW corner of W. Queen and Court Sts., Hampton (Independent City) |
|---|---|
| County | Hampton |
| Listed | February 26, 1970 |
| Reference number | 70000871 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Colonial Virginia church built in a Latin cross plan, with Victorian interior appointments |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as good and altered, on its original site; in religious use. |
| Acreage | 9.9 |
| Within district | Hampton Downtown Historic District |
| Coordinates | 37.02595, -76.34671 (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 70000871.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7588687
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.