Christ Church, Middlesex

Upper Church Middlesex (Christ Church Middlesex) N37.60474 W76.53437 1714

This rectangular church is average size 60'x331/2' and is laid in Flemish bond (even the water table). It has the typical features of orientation, glazed brick, compass windows, west entrance, and originally a south vestry door (now converted to a small compass window). There is the usual presence of queen closers and rubbed brick at the corners and in the window jambs.

The water table has has a convex curve (ovolo) that gives it an interesting look. The west and south walls have glazed brick in the headers while the north and east walls lack this feature. According to Dell Upton, this indicates not a lack of workmanship on the part of the builder, but the idea that the building was expected to be viewed from the south and west as parishioners entered for services.

On the east, or chancel, end the original large window was replaced by a smaller compass window, but the outline of the earlier, large chancel window is clearly evident. Upton asserts that this is an intermediate form derived from the Y-tracery windows present in seventeenth century churches such as Newport Parish and cites building requests for a large windows in both this church and Lower Middlesex Church. Later churches had compass or rectangular windows in the chancel that generally matched the general size and shape of the south and north windows (in both extant and destroyed churches). This original chancel window was ten feet high and most likely matched the size and shape of St. Peters -- a large, compass-headed one filling a large portion of the east facade. The side windows on the south and north show evidence of extensive relocation and shortening, to me ruining the classical stasis of the facades.

The original doorways are gone, replaced in the west by a brick entry at the east end and a jarringly small window on the south east end. Worse is the presence of additions on the north end that, like the entry, have clearly modern brick with exaggerated dark bricks and modern finish and size that contrasts strongly with the colonial brickwork. The interior, too, is changed beyond recognition as a colonial structure. Next to the church is a private Episcopal school with modern tin-buildings that diminishes the setting.

Lower Chapel Middlesex

Lower Chapel Middlesex N37.55185 W76.45961 1715-1717

This smallish church, 54'x34', has extra charm because of the clipped gables and kicked eves which give it a distinct, old world look.
The entirety of the church is in English bond which gives it an air of solidity rather than elegance as in nearby Adingdon church. The building is greatly altered from the original in several important respects. The most notable added feature is a small addition added to the east end whose angular looks detract from the basic rectangular structure. The doorways are changed and the windows, according to Rawlings, are lengthened while only the small, elliptical window remains on the west facade and the large chancel window is completely gone.
The interior of the church is in no respect colonial, having been changed in the nineteenth century into a typical two aisle interior with a raised, simple floor at the chancel end.
Among the great treasures of the chapel is a communion chest dating from 1677 and still in daily use. A dating brick with 1715 and the initials of the builder a Mr. Armistead.
The choir director along with a couple working on the windows was at the church when we visited and were most cordial, taking the time to give us a comprehensive tour and explanation of the chapel. A new wing has been added within the last year in as good a match as can be made with new construction. It is good to see such a chapel occupied by a vigorous congregation that understands its historical importance.
Among the anecdotes we mined is that many of the colonial congregation used the creek just to the south of the site to travel to weekly services.