2015 Christmas Card Christ Church 300th Anniversary

Christ Episcopal Church, Pollock Street, was established in 1715, making 2015 its 300th Anniversary year, so I chose the church for my Christmas cards.

Before the church building was built, church members met in homes, the first church building was completed about 1750, it was demolished about 1824 after the completion of the Second Church. 

The First Church site in the corner of the churchyard has been studied by archaeologists. The present short walls indicate the exact outline of the foundations.

The “Second Church” was consecrated in 1824 and it burned in 1871. Only the walls survived, to be re-used in the “Third Church.”

The present building, usually called the third church, was consecrated in 1875 and is individually listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The brick walls with their pointed-arch window openings that remained after the fire were used in the reconstruction.

The churchyard of Christ Church served as the only public burial ground in New Bern until 1800 and several thousand people are buried there. During the Yellow Fever epidemic in 1799 it was necessary to bury many of the victims in mass graves, which were located near the present north property line. The Vestry declared the churchyard full as a result of these burials.

In 1800 the parish opened Cedar Grove Cemetery. Christ Church turned Cedar Grove over to the City of New Bern in 1853. The 1875 church and the parish house are believed to be on top of graves. (Information obtained from Christ Church website).

Finished!!

 

Cards are $10.50 for 10

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