Blandford Church and Cemetery

Petersburg, Virginia

Source: Petersburg, Virginia. Blandford Church, photograph by Mathew Brady or Levin C. Handy, ca. 1861–1865. Civil War Glass Negatives and Related Prints Collection, Library of Congress.

Blandford Church and Cemetery in Petersburg, Virginia, stand as enduring symbols of the city's rich historical tapestry, reflecting its colonial origins, Revolutionary War significance, and Civil War heritage.

Blandford Church, constructed between 1735 and 1737 atop Well's Hill—the highest point in Petersburg—originally served as the third and final church of Bristol Parish.¹ Known initially as St. Paul's Church or the "Brick Church," it was part of the Anglican tradition in colonial Virginia. By 1806, following the establishment of a new Episcopal church in downtown Petersburg and the absorption of the town of Blandford into Petersburg, the church was abandoned and fell into disrepair.¹

During the American Revolutionary War, the area surrounding the church was the site of the Battle of Blandford on April 25, 1781, where British forces under Major General William Phillips defeated American militia. Phillips died shortly after the battle and was secretly buried near the church.²

In the Civil War era, Blandford Church served as a Confederate hospital during the Siege of Petersburg. After the war, the Ladies' Memorial Association of Petersburg led efforts to restore the church as a memorial to Confederate soldiers. Between 1901 and 1912, renowned artist Louis Comfort Tiffany was commissioned to create fifteen stained-glass windows—each representing a former Confederate state—transforming the church into a unique memorial chapel.³

Adjacent to the church, Blandford Cemetery has served as a burial ground since at least 1702, making it one of the oldest in Virginia. The cemetery spans 189 acres and is the final resting place for over 30,000 Confederate soldiers, among others. It is also associated with the origins of Memorial Day; in 1866, local women decorated soldiers' graves—a practice that inspired the national holiday.⁴

The church's fifteen exquisite stained-glass windows were commissioned by the Ladies' Memorial Association of Petersburg in memory of soldiers buried at the adjacent cemetery. From 1901 to 1912, Louis Comfort Tiffany and his team designed, created, and installed the windows, making Blandford Church one of the few in America with a complete set of Tiffany windows.

One of the Tiffany stained-glass windows at Blandford Church.
Photo by Ser Amantio di Nicolao, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Today, Blandford Church operates as a museum, offering guided tours that explore its architecture—including the Tiffany windows—and its multifaceted history. The cemetery remains active and is recognized for its historical significance and collection of 19th-century funerary art.⁴

Recognized for their architectural and historical significance, Blandford Church and Cemetery in Petersburg, Virginia, have been honored with multiple designations. Blandford Church was added to the Virginia Landmarks Register on April 18, 1972, and subsequently listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 31, 1972. The adjacent Blandford Cemetery received its own listings on the Virginia Landmarks Register on April 22, 1992, and the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1992. Additionally, the site is commemorated with a Virginia historical highway marker located on Crater Road (U.S. 460), highlighting its colonial origins and enduring community importance.

References

Last updated:

Quick Links

Contact Us

If you have questions, contributions, or problems with this site, email:

Coordinator - Ed Olsen

State Coordinator - Jeff Kemp

Questions or Comments?

If you have questions or problems with this site, email the County Coordinator. Please to not ask for specfic research on your family. I am unable to do your personal research.