Entry No. 35 — the Charleston file — filed under: historic

Old Sheldon Church Ruins

Built between 1745 and 1753 as Prince William's Parish Church, this historic structure is one of the earliest American examples of Greek Revival architecture. It was burned by the British during the Revolutionary War, rebuilt in 1826, and gutted again during the Civil War. Today, its towering brick columns, thick Flemish bond walls, and historic graves remain standing, beautifully framed by moss-draped live oaks.

The move: Take a scenic drive to the site to stroll around the perimeter, admire the towering brick arches, and photograph the hauntingly beautiful ruins framed by ancient oak trees.

📍 Before you go The ruins are located on private property owned by the Parish Church of St. Helena. A protective fence was installed around the structure in 2019 to prevent vandalism, allowing visitors to view and photograph the ruins from the perimeter but not walk inside the arches.

• 📍 Yemassee
• 💸 Free
• ⚡ Low-key
• 🌗 Outdoors

Where: Old Sheldon Church Rd, Yemassee, SC 29945, USA

Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current access before you go.

Plan a visit & invite your people →

Further reading: Wikipedia · scpictureproject.org

last checked: 2026-07-20