Grace Church
Also known as: York-Hampton Parish Church
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Why it's listed
Overlooking the York River in Yorktown, Grace Church is a parish church whose walls were cut from marl, a soft stone that hardens on exposure to air. Built about 1697 as York-Hampton Parish Church, it is described as one of the few, if not the only, surviving colonial structures of this material, though stucco added in the nineteenth century hides most of the marl. The church served as a magazine during the Revolution, burned accidentally in 1814, and was rebuilt in 1848 with a Greek Revival profile and without its original north wing. Federal troops later used the roof as a signal tower and the interior as a hospital. Its bell, inscribed 1725, was recovered in Philadelphia and recast in 1889. The church also owns communion silver from 1649-50, and the churchyard holds the graves of three members of the Nelson family, including a signer of the Declaration of Independence.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as one of the few, if not the only, surviving colonial structures built of marl, and as the only church to serve York-Hampton Parish. It also holds the second oldest set of communion silver in Virginia and has ties to the prominent Nelson family, who are buried in its churchyard.
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 70000832, listed September 15, 1970. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Rte. 1003 and Main St., Yorktown |
|---|---|
| County | York County |
| Listed | September 15, 1970 |
| Reference number | 70000832 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival profile from the 1848 restoration; colonial marl walls beneath nineteenth-century stucco |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is marked good and the building is in religious use; it is altered but on its original site. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 37.23610, -76.50759 (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 70000832.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5591047
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.