Near Yemassee, SC in Beaufort County are the well-preserved ruins of the Old Sheldon Church
Old Sheldon Church
Link goes to sciway.net website (page will open in new tab/window)
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| Old Sheldon Church Ruins |
Originally known as Prince William's Parish Church, it was built sometime between 1745 and 1753. It was built in the Greek-Revival style, unlike the English-Bond style of Biggin Church
Biggin Church Ruins
All that remains are the crumbling walls of the church.The graveyard however, is still in use today. , featured in another post on this blog.
The building was burned in 1779 by British troops in the revolutionary war, and rebuilt in 1826.
It was destroyed again in 1865 by William Tecumseh Sherman. One report from the time suggests they merely tore the inside of the church apart during the "March to the Sea" campaign, leaving it vandalized but repairable. The most common story (and the one told on the stone tablet at the site) is that Sherman's troops burned the building, as they had burnt nearly every structure they passed during that campaign.
In either case, the building was never repaired again. It was further gutted by the locals, as any usable materials remaining inside the church were scavenged for use in rebuilding their homes.
The Old Sheldon Church is listed in the National Register
Old Sheldon Church
Link goes to Historical Marker Database website (hmdb.org(page will open in new tab/window)
of Historic Places.