This is part of a series examining Port Royal "block by block" based on a map owned by Jim Patton from 1930. See here for the background. This series will continue after Advent in the new year.
On the original survey, there are 4 lots in this block- St. Peters ( Lots 11, 4) and those on the other side (Lots 5, 12).
The St. Peter’s portion of the block has not changed in ownership. The rectory on Lot 4 is no longer rented. The major structures on this block are the same – church and rectory. The church now has an enlarged sacristry from 1963. The stucco covering on St. Peter’s was renovated in 1980. The belfry was created in 2009.
The main structure in the back, the Rectory is still the same. The minor buildings have changed, however. The garage on the map may have been the old stable from the turn of the 20th century from Rev. Ware’s time. It may have disappeared in 1946 when the cemetery was enlarged. The servants quarters are not there nor the structure in back of that.
In 1965, Rector Fall reconstructed the old outdoor kitchen behind the Rectory (one of the above structures) and converted it into a one-room structure with wood-stove piped into the chimney. It is where the one of the sheds is above. This became the art studio of Mrs. Fall and is now our nursery building.
On the left side of the map there are two sheds and privy. There is also a foundation with pipes coming up. In 1905, the Vestry approved erecting a tower and water tank at the rear of the church’s property to furnish the citizens with water. It was replaced by the tower and tank on the public square.
The trees around the church have changed. We have only 3 sycamores from 6 noted plus at least two other larger trees. The heights are listed. Several were even larger than the "great sycamore" still in back of the church. (For more on the sycamores see this story.) In back of the rectory only the pear tree remains of the other fruit trees – cherry, plum and peach.
The other part of the block are lots 5 and 12. On Lot 5 there is a structure in the back but may not be the same that is there now. The present house appears to be from 1940. It was the home of Bettie Enos.
Lot 6 has witnessed the most change. Fall writes there were 5 structures from 1801 that lasted almost a century. This included a granery, smokehouse, lumber house and kitchen,
There are sites of three other houses no longer present on the map (include a Catlett home for Harriet Catlett from 1842-1880). One prominent feature was a large boxwood garden in the back with a barn. Closer to St. Peter’s was a kitchen. At one time there was a hotel on the property that was demolished after a fire in 1917. The current brick home was built in 1976 for the Locklerr family and still has the sign on the front designating the family.
St. Peter’s block (full size gallery)