St. Thomas Chapel, Gothic Revival chapel in Middletown, Virginia.
St. Thomas Chapel is a Gothic Revival building with tall pointed windows decorated in Y tracery and three arches across its front face. The structure includes an octagonal belfry topped with a cupola that features Gothic-style vents.
The chapel was built in 1835 for the Episcopal congregation and gained new roles during the Civil War. It served as a Confederate hospital first and later as a stable for Union forces, marking a dramatic shift in its purpose.
The chapel transitioned to interfaith use in 1967, marking a shift in how local communities approached worship together. Today visitors can see how a single space serves people with different spiritual backgrounds.
The chapel sits on Church Street in Middletown and is accessible in a quiet residential setting. Multiple restorations over time have added modern comforts while keeping the original architectural character intact.
The land where this building stands was purchased for just fifty dollars in the 1800s, reflecting the economics of that era. Few visitors notice the octagonal belfry and its distinctive Gothic vents, which give the roofline a refined silhouette.
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