History of the Church

 The oldest church in Ridgeway, South Carolina. And the oldest building in the area. St, Stephen's is a mortified Gothic Revival Architecture (1854). The building has a steep flared gabled roof with a rose window in the gable. The west end of the structure show cases the front entrance into the sanctuary with double arched doorway. The south side entry exhibits a steep gabled pavilion with arched double doors.  The original structure was solid pine & wood was painted maroon. In the 1920's the exterior of the church was encased with brick veneer. In the 1940's a wing was added to the church to provide a parish house and church school.

The breath-taking beauty of the solid pine wood interior was given a finish of rare craftmanship technique, a true lost art today. The wood was stained or painted in a natural brown to match the pine wood color, and while the stain or paint was still wet, rubbed vertically with heavy burlap bagging, giving the wood a natural finish with wood grain veining appearance.

The interior of the sanctuary has furnishings in a mahogany wood.  Windows in the building were originally of clear glass, papered with a stained-glass-like-paper.

in 1949 the Payne Studios of Patterson, NJ designed and installed original stain glass windows which adore the church today.

The church has served the congregation for 171 years and meets each Sunday to worship.

The grounds surrounding the building include a well-maintained cemetery with tombstones dating back to the 1800's.

A decorative wrought-iron fence with gates encloses the churchyard.

Reverend Daniel P. Richards, Bishop of Diocese of Upper South Carolina

St. Stephen's is blessed to have been led by a team of dedicated priest, bishops, senior wardens, junior wardens and lay leaders who are committed to serving our congregation and community for over 171 years.  Come meet our leadership team and learn more about their roles and responsibilities.