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European settlers arrived in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, in 1649, seventeen years after King Charles I signed the Charter of Maryland granting it to Cecil Calvert.  Calvert envisioned Maryland as a refuge for Roman Catholics, but the Maryland General Assembly enacted "An Act Concerning Religion" which legislated religious protection to all Christians.

With a history so steeped in religion, it's not surprising that Anne Arundel County is home to several historic churches, including two that date to the 1600's.

ALL HALLOWS EPISCOPAL CHURCH - Route 2 and Brick Church Road, Davidsonville, MD 21035

The Church of England was officially established in the Colony of Maryland In 1692 by King William and Queen Mary, who chartered 30 parishes, one of which was All Hallows.  However, early Parish records date back to March 1, 1669, noting the first recorded baptism at All Hallows.  The building's Interior was altered extensively during the 19th century according to needs and tastes of the time. A fire in 1940, left only the walls standing, but the subsequent rebuilding efforts restored The Brick Church to its original Georgian style.         Source:  Church website

ST. MARGARET'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH- 1601 Pleasant Plains Rd., Annapolis, MD 21401

This parish was established in 1692, and the present church building was originally constructed in 1803.  The structure suffered several accidental fires and rebuilding campaigns over the course of history. In 1985, 5he church underwent a massive restoration project that restored its 1896 appearance.
 

ST. MARY'S CATHOLIC CHURCH - 109 Duke of Gloucester St., Annapolis, MD 21401 (pictured above)

Victorian-Gothic structure, consecrated in 1860. The interior displays the rib-vaulting and hand-carved altar screen typical of the Gothic Revival style.  St. Mary's is located in downtown Annapolis, overlooking Spa Creek, and my son Tim was married there about 15 years ago.

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH  - 144 Conduit St., Annapolis, MD 21401

The sanctuary, a portion of which was originally the Hallam Theatre, was built in 1828.

ST. ANNE'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH - 199 Duke of Gloucester St., Annapolis, MD 21401

The present church, built in Romanesque-Revival style, is the third to stand on this site. Construction began in 1859, using some of the walls and the tower of the second church, destroyed by fire in 1858. The St. Anne's window, given to the church in 1839, was designed by the Tiffany studios. 

CHRIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH - 220 Owensville Road, West River, MD 20778 

Built in 1869, this is one of the county's finest examples of Gothic Revival architecture.

THE U.S. NAVAL ACADEMY CHAPEL - U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD (pictured above)

At a mere century old, this structure is the most recently built of these historic places of worship.  The cornerstone for the U.S. Naval Academy Chapel was laid in 1904, and construction was finished in 1908.  Revolutionary Naval hero John Paul Jones was laid to rest in the crypt of the Naval Academy Chapel in 1913. The chapel's copper dome is a landmark on "the yard" and in the city of Annapolis.

Check out the history of Anne Arundel County for more information about the religions struggles that defined so much of Maryland's history.

This post is included in Your Online Relocation Package for Anne Arundel County Maryland 

 PHOTOS:  Istockphoto