Existing comment:
St. Thomas Church:
Saint Thomas' Church was built between 1743 and 1745. The original church building was constructed by Daniel Page and until 1850 was known as Page's Chapel. The church was the home church of Bishop Thomas John Claggett, the first Episcopal bishop to be consecrated in America. An east channel and stained glass windows were added in the 1850's, the bell tower in 1888 and a small sacristy in 1905.
During the War of 1812, as the British were marching to Washington, they passed St. Thomas Church. Here they conducted a feint, first turning west towards Bellefields and the Woodyard, then doubling back and heading north to Upper Marlboro. St. Thomas Church is mentioned by General William H. Winder several times in his correspondence; once as a place to meet Lt. Col. Frisby Tilghman with the cavalry. There may be seven British soldiers, who died from heat stroke on their march to Washington, buried in the cemetery of St. Thomas in unmarked graves. |