Entry No. 39 — the Savannah file — filed under: haunted

Saint Helena Parish Chapel of Ease Ruins

Constructed in 1740 using tabby—a mixture of oyster shells, lime, and sand—this Anglican chapel served planters who lived too far from the main parish church in Beaufort. It was abandoned during the Civil War when Union forces occupied the island, and was later gutted by a forest fire in 1886. Today, the hauntingly beautiful tabby walls, arched doorways, and an adjacent historic cemetery—including the legendary Fripp family mausoleum—remain standing.

The move: Stroll through the moss-draped live oaks to photograph the historic tabby ruins and explore the quiet, centuries-old cemetery together.

📍 Before you go The ruins are a publicly accessible historic site listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with no admission fees or physical barriers preventing visitors from walking around the grounds.

• 📍 St Helena Island
• 💸 Free
• ⚡ Low-key
• 🌗 Outdoors

Where: St Helena Island, SC 29920, 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