About

This tiny brick James City County building is the remaining part of the Lower Church of Blisland Parish, one of the Virginia colony's most important rural churches. The original portion of Hickory Neck Church, a large nave, was begun in 1733 and completed in 1736. Its builders, John Moore and Lewis Deloney, both worked on Williamsburg's Bruton Parish Church. A north transept was added in 1773-74. Following the disestablishment, the nave of the then-abandoned church was dismantled and the north transept was extended to create the present structure, which was put into service as a local school. The name Hickory Neck, used since the mid-18th century, was retained for the school. In 1907 the building was reconsecrated as an Episcopal church. Today, the picturesque structure stands as evidence of the difficulties suffered by Anglican churches in the early 19th century.