D"HR_1 Vir~inia Department of Historic ReimurceR

PRELIMINARY INFORMATION FORM (PIF) for INDIVIDUAL PROPERTIES

DHR No. (to be completed by DHR staff) _ _\ _~_'"t_ -_ 0_'2.._\_8__

Purpose of Evaluation Please use the following space to explain briefly why you are seeking an evaluation of this property. As part of the renovation of the interior of The National Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham, we are emphasizing the historical significance of the building to Catholics, the Historic Triangle Area and the community in Williamsburg and surrounding areas. We are interested in obtaining rehabilitation tax credits, if applicable, and promoting the site as a compliment to other historic area attractions.

Are you interested in applying for State and/or Federal Rehabilitation Tax Credits? Yes x__ No

Are you interested in receiving more information about DHR's easement program? Yes No X

1. General Property Information Property name: ~T~'h~e~N~I=a1:1=·o=n =a=l~=~~~ur~L=a=d+y~o~f~W~als=in,g""h=a=ro

Property address: 520 Richmond R ad City or Town: Williamsbr.n:g Zip code: 23185

Name of the Independent City or Counly where Lhe property is located: Williatnsburg

Category of Property (choose only one of the following): Building X Site Structure Object _ _ _

2. Physical Aspects Acreage: 1.22

Setting (choose only one of the following): Urban Suburban Town X Village __ Hamlet __ Rural__

Briefly describe the property's overall setting, including any notable landscape features:

Situated on the southeast corner of Richmond Road and Harrison Avenue in the City of Williamsburg, the Shrine occupies a gently sloping comer lot with open lawn, ornamental trees, shrubs and brick pathways. The larger 1.22 acre property consists of one tax parcel and adjoins the campus of the College of William & Mary to the west and south. Institutional and residential buildings characterize the surrounding neighborhood while the restored area of lies roughly one-half mile to the south. The primary fas;ade of the Shrine faces Harrison Avenue, which forms the northern property boundary. To the east, the property is bounded by Richmond Road, to the west by College Terrace, and to the south by Bright Street. The Shrine has a deep setback from the sidewalk along Richmond Road. A "Memory Walk" of stones installed just after World War II to honor men and women who served their country, begins at Richmond Road and provides a pathway to the entrance at the northeast corner of the Shrine. Located to the rear (west) of the church is a paved parking lot which Department of I Iistoric Resources Preliminary Information Form 1 Rev. January 2017 9/19/2019 adjoins a two-story brick building known as the Saint John XXIII Center (previously the "Parish Hall"). This building occupies the westernmost portion of the property.

3. Architectural Description 1 Architectural Style(s): Colonial-Revival (Late 19'h and 20 h Century Revivals).

If the property was designed by an architect, landscape architect, engineer, or other professional, please list here: Forrest W. Coile (1905-1994) and Ambrose Byron Williams (1893-1969) of the firms Williams, Coile, & Pepino and Williams, Coile, & Blanchard

If the builder is known, please list here:

Date of construction (can be approximate): 1932, 1956 addition, 2019 addition

Narrative Description: In the space below, briefly describe the general characteristics of the entire property, such as its current use (and historic use if different), as well as the primary building or structure on the property (such as a house, store, mill, factory, depot, bridge, etc.). Include the architectural style, materials and method(s) of construction, physical appearance and condition (exterior and interior), and any additions, remodelings, or other alterations.

In May 1932, Roman Catholic Bishop Andrew J. Brennan of the Diocese of Richmond acquired two parcels of land on which the Shrine and Saint John XXIII Center now sit. The southernmost lot was acquired by the Diocese from attorney Robert Southall Bright of Philadelphia. Bright was born in Williamsburg in 1872 and received a degree from the College of William and Mary in 1891 before establishing a law practice in Pennsylvania. The Diocese also acquired the adjoining parcel to the north in 1932 from the College of William & Mary.

Built in 1932, the Colonial Revival style design of the Shrine was heavily influenced by the restoration architecture predominant in Colonial Williamsburg during the late 1920s through the early 1940s. An addition to the Shrine constructed in 1956 along with concurrent alterations to the interior and exterior continued this same architectural style. Sanborn Maps from 1933 indicate the design for the original building took the traditional form of a cruciform plan with transept and nave, with the altar located to the east toward Richmond Road and the nave to the west. The 1956 addition created a distinctly cross­ gabled building that still adhered to a cruciform plan. The Shrine is a one-story brick building laid in Flemish bond with glazed headers. The east gable end of the 1932 section contains a water table capped by bullnose bricks while a belt course of rowlock bricks encircles the entire building. A frame oriel bay with hipped roof that houses a statue of The Blessed Mother Mary projects from the east gable end of the 1932 section. The roof of the Shrine is clad with composite asphalt shingles with copper gutters and downspouts. Both the 1932 section and 1956 addition contain a modest dentiled wood cornice. A frame cupola projects from the roofline at the intersection of the 1932 and 1956 wings. The cupola was part of the original construction, but was mounted on a new tower during the 1956 modifications to the building. Three compass headed double-hung wood sash windows are located along the north and south elevations of the 1932 nave and are thought to contain hand-blown glass. A full brick arch with cast stone ends tops each window. Windows in the 1956 addition are primarily twelve-over-twelve, six­ over-six, or six-over-nine light double-hung wood sash with jack arches and cast stone sills. Architectural plans from the 1956 addition indicate that windows from the 1932 church were reused in the new construction.

There are three public entrances to the building, one on the end of each transept (facing Harrison Ave.) and one which is handicap accessible from the parking lot. There are accessible restrooms near each

Department of Historic Resources Preliminary Information Form 2 Rev. January 2017 9/19/2019 transept entrance that were added in 2019. There is an additional entrance to the sacristy on the west elevation of the building for use by clergy and staff.

The interior of the church has tile floors in a black and white checkerboard pattern, wooden pews with kneelers (c. 1956), and an arched plaster ceiling. Partially comprised of Tennessee stone, the altar is elevated above the rest of the main floor. There is a small balcony in the rear of the original transept that was formerly a choir loft and now serves as the plenum for air return and is prepared to house organ pipes at some point in the future. There are several features in the sanctuary including Cherubim 1 candle holders from the 18 h century that were made in Europe, a hand-carved statue of Our Lady of Walsingham which was dedicated in 1942 and stations of the cross panels from the same period. The Shrine also has a basement level which includes an open meeting area, storage space, and restroom. We are currently undertaking a renovation of the interior as well as the supporting HVAC and Electrical systems which have not been significantly updated since the 1950's. The exterior renovation was completed in 2016 with new roofing, guttering and accessible entrances.

Briefly describe any outbuildings or secondary resources (such as barns, sheds, dam and mill pond, storage tanks, scales, railroad spurs1 etc.), including their condition and their estimated construction dates.

A Parish Hall, now known as the Saint John XXIII Center, was constructed in the late 1960's to house the expanding faith formation and evangelization efforts. Saint Bede Outreach grew out of these efforts and became the Williamsburg House of Mercy which occupies most of the space currently. In addition, the building houses the Catholic Campus Ministry for the College of William and Mary, which is the successor of the group that began in the 1920's as the Gibbons Society that petitioned the Bishop of Richmond and led to the creation of the church in Williamsburg.

Department of I Iistoric Resources Preliminary Information Form 3 Rev. January 2017 9/19/2019 4. Property's History and Significance In the space below, briefly describe the history of the property, such as significant events, persons, and/ or families associated with the property. Please list all sources of information used to research the history of the property. (It is not necessary to attach lengthy articles or family genealogies to this form.)

If the property is important for its architecture, engineering, landscape architecture, or other aspects of design, please include a brief explanation of this aspect.

Even though the Catholic presence in the Williamsburg area dates to the 1550's and was also evident at Jamestown, the National Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham is the first Catholic Church in the Williamsburg area. The church was started based on a petition by the Gibbons Club at the College of William and Mary to the Catholic Bishop of Richmond in the mid 1920's. The Gibbons Club, named in memory of , a Cardinal who briefly served as the Bishop of Richmond in the 1870s before moving to Baltimore was formed in 1923, initially met on campus. Comprised of Professor Carlos Eduardo Castaneda, other faculty, and students from the college as well as local residents, the group asked to have a regular Catholic Mass in Williamsburg. Included in the club at this time were names like Castaneda, Mackey, Walsh and Muscarelle. Through a bequest from Margaret Burns from Staunton, to the Catholic Diocese of Richmond, the land was acquired and the church built and dedicated in 1932 as "Saint Bede Chapel. 11 It was also known under the names of the "Gibbons Club Chapel" and "Catholic College Chapel". Contemporary accounts from local newspapers indicate the architects were A. Byron Williams and Forrest W. Coile. The founding families of the church, of which the Williams and Coile families were part, included names like Hyde, McManus, Sloniker, Maloney, Griesenauer, and Gilliam. The church was constructed using "Griesenauer Bricks" which were also used on the bridges on the and other buildings in the Historic area, including the Watts Motor Company and Masonic Lodge.

The first resident pastor, Father Thomas Walsh, joined the newly dedicated parish of St. Bede in 1939.The Bishop established the parish and named it after the Venerable Bede, a Doctor of the Church, given the historical tradition of the area and connection to England. Father Walsh, based on an earlier pilgrimage to Walsingham England, dedicated the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham above the altar of the sanctuary in 1942 along with Bishop Ireton, the only one of its kind in America in a Catholic Church. (As a point of reference, The Shrine in Walsingham England represents Marian apparition and construction of an exact replica of the Holy House of Nazareth. It was the 4th most visited site in Christianity until its destruction by Henry VIII in 1538.)

During the Second World War, the St. Bede's acquired a brick dwelling across the street (today College Terrace) to serve as a USO house for Catholic military personnel and their families. After the war, the building became the Walsingham Academy school in 1947 operated by the Sisters of Mercy, and the church rectory in 1952. By 1980, St. Bede's sold the rectory property. The building is used today as a private residence.

The connection to Walsingham, England was particularly striking during the war years as soldiers from the area would worship at the Walsingham Shrine in the US and then also at the Walsingham Shrine in Norfolk County England. In 1951 a "Memory Walk" was dedicated as a pathway of Memory and Union memorializing service men and women who worshipped at Saint Bede. By 1955, the parish had outgrown its space and provisions were made for the addition of a large transept and small wing to double the size of the seating capacity. This coincided with the increase in the number of tourists to Colonial Williamsburg and increase in students at the College of William & Mary. These students became parishioners and became the forerunner of the Catholic Campus Ministry program that is served by the Shrine today. The 1956 transept and wing were designed by the firm of Williams, Coile & Blanchard of Newport News who were known for designs both locally and throughout the world. Over

Department of [Iistoric Resources Preliminary Information 11orm 4 Rev.January 2017 9/19/2019 the decades, Saint Be:cle: Parish outgrew these facilities and built a new church in James City County while maintaining the Shrine for use for special devotions and for daily mass. The Shrine is now the primary place of worship by the Catholic Campus Ministry at the College of William and Mary, tetuming in essence to its roots. The designation as a National Shrine was confirmed in 2016 by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Architects

Forrest W. Coile was born in Johnstown, Ohio in 1905 and died on December 25, 1994 in Newport News, Virginia. Coile studied architecture at the Carnegie Institute of Technology in Pittsburgh, receiving a BA in 1926. He then studied at the Ecole Americaine des Beaux Arts Academy in France, received a diploma in 1927. Tn 1932, he joined with local architects Ambrose Byron Williams to form Williams, Coile & Pepino (1932-1941) and also Williams, Coile, & Blanchard (1931-1959). By 1959, Coile led his own firm, Forest Coile Associates, which combined engineering and architectural service.s under one roof. The firm specialized in designing schools, working on approximately 120 in the greater area, including Warwick and Menchville high schools, Christopher Newport University, and Peninsula Catholic High School. Coile had worked with the Peninsula Catholic High School since 1932, first as Vincent de Paul School for Girls, then St. Vincent Central High School. However, Coile's work was diverse, and in addition to schools included institutional and civic buildings, churches, airports, and commercial structures.

Ambrose Byron Williams, also known as A. Byron Williams, was born on October 11, 1893 in Wilmington Delaware and died on January 22, 1969 in Newport News. He had a son named Byron Fitzgerald Williams, who was also an architect. A. Byron Williams also designed the plans for the 1956 addition to the Shrine.

Statement of Significance:

The National Shrine of Our J,ady of Walsingham is locally significant under Criterion A in the area of Religion. As the home to the first Catholic church and parish in the City of Williamsburg, Lhe church represents the grassroots efforts of local residents, students and faculty at the College of William and Mary to establish a Calholic presence in Williamsburg in the 1920s. Constructed in 1932, the church became a dedicated Catholic parish with a permanent pastor in 1939. The erection of a new addition in 1956 and a separate parish hall in 1969 were the result of an expanding mission, burgeoning congregation anJ surge of tourism in the area. The history of the Shrine provides a direct link to the growth and prospe11.ty of the Catholic religious con11nu1uly in Williams burg.

Under Criterion C, the Shrine is locally significant in the area of Architecture as an example of Colonial Revival style ecclesiastical architecture by Newport News based architects Ambrose Byron Williams and Forrest W. Coile. Their design for the Shrine expressed a traditional interpretation of the Colonial Revival style that characterized the restoration architecture of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation from the late 1920s through the 1940s. The construction of the Shrine in 1932 and the later 1956 addition embodied the strong influence of Colonial Williamsburg on the City's archiLeclural character and appearance.

The Shrine qualifies under Criteria Consideration A as a religious property that derives its primary significance both from its historical importance (as explained under Criterion A above) and from architectural importance (as explained above under Criterion C above).

The period of significance is from 1932 when the Shrine was built through 1969, the date of construction of the Parish Hall.

Sources:

Department of l listoric Resources Preliminary Information l•orm 5 Rev. January 2017 9/19/2019 John E. Wells and Robert E . Dalton, The Virginia Architects, 1835-1955, Richmond, VA: New South Architectural Press, 1997, p.92;

Rogers Dey Whichard, The History of Lower Tidewater Virginia, Vol.3, New York, 19 59, p.63

Erika Reif, "Forrest W. Coile, Architect, Dies at 89," Daily Press, December 28, 1994.

Familysearch.org

Knight Without Armor: Carlos Eduardo Castaneda, 1896-1958 by Felix D. Amarez.

Architectural plans by A. Byron Williams of Williams, Coile, and Blanchard dated August 20, 1956.

Department of Historic Resources Preliminary Information Form 6 Rev. January 2017 9/16/2019 5. Property Ownership (Check as many categories as apply): Private: X Public\Local _ Public\State __ Public\Fcderal __

Current Legal Owner(s) of the Property (If the property has more than one owner, please list each below or on an additional sheet.) name/title: Monsignor Joseph Lehman organization: Saint Bede Catholic Church/Diocese of Richmond street & number: 3686 Ironbound Road city or town: Williamsburg state: VA zip code: 23188 e-mail: [email protected] telephone: 757-229-3631

Legal Owner's Signature: ~1-1S~::...... 1,...... :.__:.______...!:...______Date: q /rf / Wllf ••Si ture required for processing all applications. • •

In the event of corporate ownership you must provide the name and title of the appropriate contact person. Contact person: Sam Samorian Daytime Telephone: 757-229-3631 ext. 2315

Applicant Information (Individual completing form if other than legal owner of property) name/ title: Fla.cold D Samo ti an Jr., Director of Development organization: , aint Bede Catholic Church street & number: 3686 Ironbound Road city or town: Williamsburg state: VA zip code: 23188 e-mail: [email protected] telephone: 757 -229-3631 ext. 2315

6. Notification In some circumstances, it may be necessary for DHR to confer with or notify local officials of proposed listings of properties within their jurisdiction. In the following space, please provide the contact information fur the local County Administrator, City Manager, and/ or Town Manager name/title: And.tcwTrivctte, City Manag r locality: City of Williarm~burg street & number: 401 Lafavettte treet city or town: Williamsburg state: VA zip code: 23185 telephone: 757-220-6100

Department of l Iistoric Resources Preliminary Information [.'orm Rev. January 2017 9/16/2019 Go- gle Maps National Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham ..

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National Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham

Shrine 0 ® ® ® @ Directions Save Nearby Send to your Share phone

~ 520 Richmond Rd, Williamsburg, VA 23185 • • • • 77GP+25 Williamsburg, Virginia

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Brick Path

ADA­ Compliant Ramp

Site Plan: National Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham Williamsburg, Virginia N File No. 137-0218 (Not to Scale)