A simple photo is often the best. This is one of my favorites from a recent trip to the N.C. mountains. One of my favorite places is this mountain top church. It sits high above Valle Crucis and is by far one of the most beautiful spots I have ever seen. Simple and honest. The window is on the back of the church, facing the woods. Very unassuming. God's house. I'm sure of it.
This is the church itself. Sadly, as is all too often these days, the doors were locked. I could see through the window and see that the ceiling was arched and beamed of dark wood. It looked very much like an ancient inverted ship hull.
6 comments:
This is St. John the Baptist of the Lower Watauga Church and is open from May through the end of September. It was built by the Rev. William West Skiles who was the first person to take monastic vows in the Angelican Church since the reformation and he did it at the short lived Holy Cross Monnastery at the Valle Crucis Mission. He is buried in the churchyard. Unfortunately we can't leave it open all the time due to vandals etc. It is a shame. An early example of a barrel vault church it was built in 1862 and this was not the origional location but it was cut in 3 parts and moved. It was restored in 2008 and that cross window was added in the new restroom.It does have what has been described as perfect acoustics.
Tom if you check this blog again...I have a few questions about the church...If you have an email or blog I would love to ask you a few things...thanks for the info and coment,
I love old churches. Here's an interesting word-thing: the last photo is actually a graveyard. Burial grounds that are on lnad attached to a house or church are graveyards, burial grounds on a spearate piece of land are cemetaries.
You lovely post brings me back home again. I grew up in Boone, the county seat of Watauga County. Valle Crusis was always a favorite spot to visit with Mast General Store (the original one) and the lovely St. John's. I'm sure you learned that Valle Crusis (Vale of the Cross) was so named because three intersecting streams form a St. Andrews Cross.
You picked one of my favorite NC spots for your visit. I love the pictures.
Tom...please come back...I have more questions!!!
Citizen... thats very interesting, thanks for that bit of info!!!
NCwoman... Although it is not my home, this area is also my favorite place in NC...I know I will never be able to live here as the land is just out of sight. But I do hope to live nearby someday. NC mountains has the best of everything; cooler weather, wonderful southern people and natural beauty like nowhere else!
Such a peaceful spot. Your photos depict it quite beautifully.
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