1. Red Doors

You enter the church via one of the three double wooden red doors which are in the Romanesque Revival style with rounded arches as opposed to Gothic with pointed arches.

The doors are painted "Episcopal red" though over the years it has varied in color. There is no agreement why many Episcopal doors are red. They are the symbol of the blood of Christ. In the Middle Ages in England they were a sign of sanctuary.

2. Slate floor

Directly inside the front doors is the narthex which has a slate floor.

Slate flooring is most effective in places that will receive a lot of traffic or will be subject to a significant amount of moisture. There is a Brass Maltese Cross Plaque inlaid in the slate floor in is memory of Nannie S. Goodwin. "Erected by The Guild Ascension Day, 1925." Goodwin was a collector and genealogist for the Goodwin family. Her father Arthur Goodwin once owned Ferry Farm where Washington lived as a boy, and she collected family pieces.

The Narthex is the vestibule of the church, a place to greet parishioners, a place of gathering.

3. Baptismal Font

The church has a baptismal font given by Basil Gordon in 1829. It can set in the Narthex or closer to the front when we have a baptism. He was not only a prosperous merchant in Falmouth in the import export trade, but was said to be the first millionaire in America by the time he died. More on Gordon

4. Decorative Paint

On either side, in front or behind, there was decorative paint added during our renovation 2007-2011. The pattern just to the left of the center door leading into the main church imitates a pattern found on a 1906 photograph that was on the front wall in the chancel.

Here is the 1906 photograph. Note the band in the center of the photo which matches the narthex pattern.

In 1906, the narathex was called the Vestibule. Here is the 1906 description. "The entire vestibule has been tiled with grey and brown tiles, and its walls have been tinted a very deep cream color,white the ceiling has been finished in small rolled iron squares."

5. George Hume plaque

South is to your right, north to the left. Turning behind you, by the center door on the south side is a plaque honoring George Hume who layed out the streets in Fredericskburg at the beginning of its history as well as the pews in our 1st St. George's church.

The plaque was placed here in May, 1938 by Col. Erskine Hume, a direct descendant and who served in three wars. The dedication was June 26, 1938. We have more inquiries on Hume than any other historical figure in St. George's history. More on Hume

6. Romanesque architecture

In the north and the south ends of the narthex are the typical rounded, recessed arches which divide the narthex into three sections.

In each of the two side sections is a stairway with black walnut wood which ascends to the gallery above the narthex and the nave. The organ and musicians are in the gallery along with overflowing seating,

7. The Maury family

Down the stairs on the south side is a plaque honoring John Minor Maury. Maury was eclipsed by his famous younger brother Matthew Fontaine Maury (1806-1873), the “pathfinder of the seas” who devoted much of his life to the study of naval meteriology as well as served as librarian of the many unorganized log books and records. His family was well known here, born in Spotsylvania, VA.

One of the unique episodes in the early American republic was the dealings with pirates, those closer to Africa, the Barbary pirates and those nearer in the West Indies. Captain David Porter was ordered to fit out a squadron for their destruction. He was authorized to select his officers for this dangerous mission. His first choice was Lieutenant John M. Minor to be flag captain of the fleet. This officer, like the adjutant general of the army, gave orders for all the movements. The service was active and severe; the combats were desperate; no quarter was asked or given. The pirates were all destroyed or broken up and scattered.

As a demonstration of Maury’s services, he was sent by Porter to report to the US government of the success of the mission. However, he died of yellow fever just outside Norfolk and buried at sea. Throughout his short career, Maury had gained the respect of his peers. His brother wrote that at “the time of his death he was the highest ranking officer of his age in the service.”