St. Peters Episcopal Church

SC-202:

In 1680 the Justices of the County petitioned Governor Edmond Andros for the right to grant lands. Under this authority, a lot of ground at this location was reserved for “public use.” Many of the settlers who came to this area in the late 17th and early 18th centuries were members of the Church of England. In 1708, the Reverend William Black was sent to establish a Mission here to serve the needs of Sussex County’s growing population. The first permanently stationed clergyman was Reverend William Becket, who arrived in Lewes in 1721. Under his leadership, construction of the first house of worship on this site was completed in the 1720s. In 1808 the old church was replaced by a second frame structure. By the 1850s the need for a larger building was apparent. The existing church was moved to a corner of the lot, and on May 27, 1854, the cornerstone of the present building was laid by Bishop Alfred Lee. The church was formally consecrated in 1858. St. Peter’s Episcopal Church was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.

Installed in 2006.

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