Taveau Church

National Register Listing

Street Address:

S of Cordesville on SR 44 (Berkeley County)

Alternate Name:

Tavou Church

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NRHP Nomination

Record Number:

S10817708024

Description and Narrative:

Taveau Church is an unusual example of early nineteenth century church architecture. It is a small clapboard Classical Revival structure on a low brick pier foundation and has a gable roof with boxed cornice. The front façade is located on the gable side of the roof and features a small pedimented portico supported by four slender wooden Doric columns. A wooden bell tower with a hipped roof rises at the front of the gable roof. The foundations and steps of the portico are brick, although the area between the brick has been filled with concrete block. Both side facades feature a central double-door entrance flanked by two windows on each side. These entrances also feature a 12-light double row transom. All windows are 16/16 with paneled shutters. Taveau Church was constructed ca. 1835 for Martha Caroline Swinton Taveau, on lands of the former Clermont Plantation. After her death in 1847, a black Methodist congregation used the church. In the 1930s Clermont Plantation became part of the larger Mepkin Plantation and the owners of Mepkin, the Luce family, donated the church to the Taveau Methodist Church congregation. A cemetery is included within the acreage of Taveau Church. Listed in the National Register February14, 1978.

Period of Significance:

19th century

Level of Significance:

Local

Area of Significance:

Religion;Architecture

National Register Determination:

listed

Date of Certification:

February 14 1978

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