Chapel Ease St Helena Island SC

Chapel Ease St Helena Island SC

Chapel of Ease Ruins

On our first trip to Washington DC, the Chapel of Ease on St. Helena Island in South Carolina was the eighth stop on our Roadtrippers itinerary.

By the time we arrived at this stop, my son was boredom sleeping as it was late in the afternoon and we had passed through a major storm.

The rain had slowed down to a very soft drizzle which made our visit much more tolerable.  We were able to get out and explore the grounds.

It was still very wet and dreary so we didn’t stay long, but I think we were able to see everything there was to see there.

The old chapel ruins are very cool, we went inside and looked around and talked about how old it was.  Then we explored the grave sites surrounding the chapel.

If you’re into ruins or gravesites, this is a great little stop off the beaten path.  The graves are from the 1800s and are still in pretty decent shape considering.

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About Chapel Ease St Helena Island SC

This church was built sometime between 1742 and 1747 for the planters of St. Helena Island.  Chapels of ease, like this one, were built during the Colonial period by rice and cotton planters.

Their plantations were so far from Beaufort churches that they built these chapels of ease as houses of worship… closer to home.

This Chapel of Ease was destroyed by forest fire in 1886.  All that remains now are the tabby ruins and the adjacent cemetery.

The ruins were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.

These awe inspiring ruins are located just off the beaten path on Lands End Rd. Saint Helena Island, South Carolina 29920.  They are free to visit but bring mosquito repellent!

Summary

This is a nice little stop to get out and stretch your legs for a few minutes.  You don’t see Colonial era ruins every day.  This stop is just a few minutes or so but so worth it in my humble opinion!

That said, I do have a taste for the weird and creepy places.  I frequent ruins and cemeteries so this was right up my alley.  If you’re not into that kind of thing, I totally get it.  Maybe skip this one and move on to the next.

But for those like me that are into history and/or creepy, I highly recommend this stop.  Have you been there?  I’d love to hear what you thought of it.  Please drop a few lines in the comments box below and let me know how your visit went.

In the meantime, safe travels!

~Kris M.

Written by Kris M.