Likely the finest of its type from colonial Virginia, the Ionic entablature marks the transition between Christ Church’s soaring brick walls and hipped roof. Fabricated of wood and standing four feet tall, its three-part design includes a denticulated cornice, pulvinated frieze and three-step architrave.
In his Historic Structure Report (1993) for Christ Church, Lancaster County, Virginia, Nat Neblett stated that the “wood entablature is quite remarkable for its date of construction and was among the most advanced stylistically in the colony at the time.” Except for Rosewell in Gloucester County, which according to architectural historian Ed Chappell “shared family connections and perhaps craftsmen,” no building from colonial Virginia had a full entablature like Christ Church’s. The feature provides a visually pleasing spot for the roof to “stand,” but it also establishes a principal decorative theme repeated in the church’s rubbed brick doorways outside and pulpit and chancel inside (see attached photos).
Threatened by flaking paint, natural weathering, and the buildup of surface dirt, mold, and cobwebs, the woodwork is in dire need of conservation. FHCC first conserved the entablature in stages from 2002-2008. But it was last cleaned and painted over a decade ago, and exposure to the elements and continued accretions of algae and dirt leave the wood desiccated and vulnerable to deterioration (see attached photos).
Conservation of the entablature is more than just saving one element in Christ Church. The entablature is an integral part of the building’s pristine architectural character, and preserving it is critical to preserving the historic integrity of Virginia’s finest church.
In recent years FHCC has conserved other parts of the church’s exterior woodwork, including the twelve compass sash windows in 2021-2022 (with support from the Roller-Bottimore Foundation) and the doors at each entrance (2022-2023 work included fabrication and installation of a dutchman on the south door jamb; removal of caulk between the doorframes and rubbed brick frontispieces and replacement with a historically accurate lime mortar; and light sanding and painting of all doors).
Cleaning and painting the entablature will return all three of these exterior woodwork elements to their original beauty and ensure the survival of one of Christ Church’s most important architectural feature for decades.
Total cost is $80,000. We have been awarded $25,000 in grants, $20,000 of which requires a 1:1 match. We need your help to match this and raise the remaining $55,000. Your gift will help ensure the survival of one of Christ Church’s most important architectural features for decades.
Please contact the Foundation office to discuss a gift or give online here: Preserve Entablature (select this from dropdown menu on donate page)
Download the Entablature Case Statement or learn more about the project below:
