Old St Andrews Episcopal Church, Leonardtown

Old St Andrews Episcopal Church, Leonardtown, St. Mary’s County, Maryland

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Old St Andrews Episcopal Church, Leonardtown

St. Andrew’s Parish was created from parts of the neighboring parishes by act of the Maryland Provincial Assembly in 1744.  The parish church, Old St Andrews Episcopal Church, Leonardtown was completed in 1767 and is an outstanding example of colonial architecture.  The church was designed by Richard Boulton, an indentured servant to Colonel George Plater, later Governor of Maryland, who owned nearby Sotterley manor and was one of the principal founding members of the parish.

St. Andrew’s vestry records give a complete and detailed account of the construction of the church. The building was to be fifty feet, exclusive of the chancel, by forty feet, with painted and wainscoted box pews with doors, flagstone aisles, an Ionic altar piece, a cypress shingle roof, quoins made of stock bricks, an arched ceiling, and flat ceilings over the two side aisles, all with an aisle height of fourteen feet. These specifications still adequately describe St. Andrew’s Church.

Surprisingly allowing for the detailed specifications, the vestry allowed Richard Bolton a free hand in the design of the exterior.  The brick exterior of the church has an unusual inset portico similar to Tudor Hall in nearby Leonardtown and a large Palladian window which surmounts the portico.  On either side of the portico is a massive brick tower, each incorporating two large niches intended to hold coats of arms.

The church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in March 1973

Click here for some more images of historic St. Mary’s County.