The History of Westover Parish

WESTOVER PARISH was established in close proximity to the original settlement at Jamestown in 1613. Following the merging into it of all or part of the ancient parishes of Weyanoke, Wallingford, and Wilmington, in 1724 Westover Parish became and remains coterminous with Charles City County.

The predecessor of the existing Westover Church was constructed between 1630 and 1637 on Westover plantation. About 1730 the construction of the present Westover Church was completed at its present site on Herring Creek about 1 1/2 mile north of Westover mansion.

For almost thirty years after 1803, Westover Church lay abandoned, desecrated by misuse as a barn during part of that time, and services of the Protestant Episcopal Church of Virginia lapsed completely in Charles City County. The ending of support by public taxation for the Episcopal Church at the start of the Revolutionary War in 1776, followed by the disestablishment of the church in 1784, and the War of 1812, the widespread prejudice against the Church as an English Royalist institution, and a general decline of interest in religion, "culminated in the period when Œ¹the churches mouldered away,¹ bereft or ministers, congregations, parish lands, and financial support."

However, about 1833 religious services were revived through the sending to the county, as a missionary, of the Reverend Parke Farley Berkeley. At this time the Church structure was repaired and restored, principally through the efforts of the families of Berkeley and Shirley, the Harrisons and the Carters. Badly wrecked by Federal troops, through their misuse of the building as a stable during the Civil War, old Westover Church was once more restored to service in 1867 and has been faithfully supported ever since.

The silver that belongs to Westover Parish includes a chalice and paten, both marked London 1694-95. The cover of the chalice has the words "Sarah Braine" inscribed in it to commemorate the donor. Another chalice and paten, both of which bear the London mark of 1731-32, are inscribed "The Gift of Col. Francis Lightfoot - Anno. 1727."

Down through the centuries, farmers, plantation owners, slaves and Presidents, including Washington, Jefferson, Harrison, Tyler and Theodore Roosevelt, have worshiped in Westover Parish.

The parishioners extend a warm welcome to those visiting historic Westover Church and hope you can worship with us if you are in the Williamsburg or Richmond area.