The Legacy of the Early-18th Century South Carolina Anglican Church

Summary

With its establishment in 1706, the South Carolina Anglican Church became an important and influential organization in the colony. In this presentation, discussion will focus on archaeological research conducted at the site of one of the earliest Anglican churches in South Carolina, St. Paul’s Parish Church. Research at St. Paul’s provides an opportunity to discuss the larger and often unseen roles of the Anglican Church in the development of the colony, beyond its religious and political ones. Discussion will center on how church supervisors designed St. Paul’s Church to reflect the religious identity of its parishioners, helping to strengthen the social bonds between Anglicans and Dissenters. Additionally, the placement of Anglican churches in the colony’s frontier areas led to the construction of transportation networks that ultimately assisted with the movement of goods to the ports and aided in the rapid development of the plantation economy.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Rags to Riches: the Creation and Legacy of the Carolina Colony   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2014

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): SYM-63,05