Farnham Church
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Why it's listed
Farnham Church is a brick parish church in the small village of Farnham, Richmond County, Virginia. It serves North Farnham Parish, created in 1683, and the present Latin-cross building dates from 1737, replacing an earlier church of about 1660 that stood roughly three miles to the west. The building has had a hard history: it was abandoned after Disestablishment, possibly used as a barn and distillery, exchanged fire with British raiders in 1814, served as a stable for Federal troops, and was gutted by fire in 1887. It was restored in 1921. Only the walls up to the gable bases are original, laid in Flemish bond above a molded water table with English bond below, with extensive rubbed brick at corners and window jambs. The roof, gables, doorways and arches were replaced, and the interior is Georgian Revival. The church was listed for its colonial masonry, its cruciform plan and its place in the village.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the surviving brick walls and cruciform plan represent the high point of Virginia's colonial church architecture, with exceptional rubbed-brick dressings and colonial masonry craftsmanship. It also notes the church's role as a scenic focal point in the village and its ties to Northern Neck colonial families such as the Carters and the Tayloes.
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 73002053, listed August 14, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | VA 3, Farnham |
|---|---|
| County | Richmond (city and county) |
| Listed | August 14, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73002053 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 18th Century (specific date 1737) |
| Architectural style | Colonial cruciform (Latin cross) parish church; interior in Georgian Revival style from the 1921 renovation |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as occupied and in religious use, in good condition but altered; the interior dates from the 1921 renovation. |
| Acreage | 9.9 |
| Within district | Occupacia-Rappahannock Rural Historic District |
| Coordinates | 37.88608, -76.62514 (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 73002053.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q15217398
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.