Trinity Church
Why it's listed
Trinity Church is a small brick Episcopal church built in 1830 along the old Ridge Road in rural western Hanover County, Virginia. It replaced Hollowing Creek Chapel, which is believed to have burned. The Reverend John Cooke, rector of St. Martin's Parish, led the effort to build it, and local builders William B. Green and Milton Green constructed it. The front is Flemish-bond brick with a pedimented porch and a bull's-eye window in the gable. Inside, the plain nave has heart-pine pews, a balcony and an unusual circular chancel, with a curved pulpit platform, communion table, altar rail and ring of benches. A gold-lettered sign under the balcony reserves the first three pews for servants. The building was one of the few Episcopal churches erected in Virginia after disestablishment. Its congregation later merged with Fork Church, but the grounds are maintained, an annual service is held, and the cemetery remains in use.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the church is significant for its unusual concentric circular chancel plan, with a curved rostrum, curved Holy Table and a ring of benches around the communion rail. It was one of only a few Episcopal churches built in Virginia after disestablishment. It also retains a gallery sign reading "First three pews on this side, for servants."
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 90001923, listed December 27, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Jct. of VA 738 and VA 658, Beaverdam |
|---|---|
| County | Hanover County |
| Listed | December 27, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90001923 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Milton & William Green (William B. Green and Milton Green) |
| Architectural style | Early Republic: Early Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The congregation merged with Fork Church about twenty-five years before the nomination and Trinity Church closed; the building and grounds are well maintained and an annual service is held on Trinity Sunday. The cemetery is still used for burials by families who attended. |
| Acreage | 2.4 |
| Coordinates | 37.90095, -77.64343 (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 90001923.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14713379
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.