Historic Lawrence Chapel

Lawrence Chapel (late 19th Century Christmas)

This is the oldest area of St. James' Episcopal Church. The Hook Organ that is used in the Lawrence Chapel was thrown out of the church and onto the street by the Federal army during the Civil War and salvaged by a church member. It was repaired and returned after the war and is still in use today in the chapel.

Organ concerts using the historic Hook Organ are scheduled from time to time. The Chapel is registered as a Cobb County Landmark and is on the Marietta Georgia Welcome Center tour. The chapel is a short walk from the Root House, a Marietta pioneer home that is being restored by the Marietta Historic Society. Mr. Root, a pharmacist in Marietta, is one of the Founders of St. James' Episcopal Church.

Presently the chapel is used on a weekly basis for our Wednesday Eucharist and Healing Service and for Morning Prayer on Tuesdays at 8 AM. It is also used for small weddings, funerals and other worship services.

Lawrence Chapel 1962

The Lawrence Chapel started its history in 1878 when the structure was built by the men of the church to be used as a Sunday School Building. In its long history it has also been used as a soup kitchen to feed the hungry during the Great Depression years in the 1930's and as a storage building after that. In 1962 the structure was remodeled and dedicated as the Lawrence Chapel. It has been used for worship and for Sunday School classes since that time. A more recent remodeling, in 1987, simplified the 1962 design.

The Lawrence Chapel was built in 1878 to be used as a Sunday School room. It was built separately from the original St. James' Episcopal Church, a stone building seating 230 people that was completed in 1843. The men and boys of St. James' parish, under the leadership of Colonel Robert de Treville Lawrence (1841-1933), hauled rock and sand from the Kennesaw Mountain area and constructed the building. It may have been built after a plan by the Stephen Elliott Barnwell, who was the rector of St. James' at the time and loaned his own parlor organ for the dedication of the building. Instead of pews, the building contained school benches which could be moved outdoors in warm weather. The woodwork was left unpainted, and there was bead board and chalkboard on the walls which have since been removed. There was a stove that heated the building, and an oil fixture hung from the ceiling to light the room. The hook form which it hung is still visible today. There was also a rose window over the main door which is presently covered.

In 1927 the parish house of St. James was greatly expanded and the Lawrence Chapel was joined to the main structure. It was at this time that the porch at the front door was added and the rose window was covered. It continued to be used as a classroom for many years, until it was eventually retired to be used as a storage area.

During the summer of 1961, architect Clement Ford and interior designer Brevard Williams of Atlanta drew up plans to remodel the neglected room as a chapel. Clement Ford was the grandson of an early rector of St. James' Episcopal Church. It was dedicated as Lawrence Chapel in 1962, and it is believed that this is the first time the room was ever used as a chapel. All of the woodwork was painted at this time. The ceiling was painted light blue, and the trim was painted a soft white. The two alcoves behind the altar were cut into the walls and hangings were placed. Shutters with a quatrefoil and colored glass motif were hung on the windows and the lighting fixtures were changed. The molded wainscoting was installed at this time. At least one large round chandelier was hung from the ceiling and matching sconces were placed on the side walls. Light blue carpet was installed on the altar and the aisles. The organ and several pieces of altar furniture were removed from the old church and placed in the chapel. This would include lectern and chairs which were made by James R. Brumby in 1887, and the organ which was made by the eminent firm of E. & G.G. Hook of Massachusetts in 1860. The organ, which was originally purchased for $600 raised by the ladies of the church was allegedly thrown on the streets of Marietta when the Union Army confiscated and damaged St. James' Episcopal Church.

Moving the organ and altar furniture into the chapel ultimately saved them from the disastrous fire which struck St. James' Episcopal Church in January 1964. The chapel and parts of the parish house (1926, 1957) were the only parts of St. James' Episcopal Church that survived the fire intact.

The chapel was again remodeled in the mid-1980-'s. At this time the organ was rebuilt, and both it and the floor were refinished. It appears that is also when the chapel was repainted, the new shutters were added, and the current lighting fixtures were installed.

We have begun restoring the chapel back to its 1962 appearance. Interior painting has been completed and interior appointments will soon follow.