One of my favorite stops on our recent trip to Bermuda was to visit the quaint town of St. George’s. We had a lovely time strolling around the very quiet town on a warm and sunny day and were thrilled to be able to visit so many of the historic and beautiful places that were within walking distance. Since our visit was timed in the off season for the island we did not have to fight crowds of people and it really was the most wonderful way to visit the island.
Being part of a church family does not always work out exactly as planned as the parishioners of this particular congregation found out. The “story” of the unfinished church is a complicated one. Seems the congregation decided to build a replacement for St. Peter’s Church in 1874 but due to a series of events including disagreement among the church members (Imagine! Church members disagreeing!!!) and storm damage the building of the structure was halted and never completed. 
What did happen was that the Bermuda National Trust stepped in and worked to stabilize the crumbling structure so that it has become a tourist stop and wonderful place to photograph an interesting architectural wonder. The ruins are just that–ruins—and the public is not allowed inside the actual church but there is plenty to view from the outside.
Someone obviously has a good sense of humor when it comes to naming streets in this town, don’t you think?
Now I bet you are all wondering about the existing St. Peter’s Church, aren’ t you? I will give you a sneak preview —we did see it also and it was amazing.
And the ruins will become more interesting as the trees/vegetation grows up around it!!! Really neat!!!!
It was really neat. We almost did not go to see it because the people we talked to talked like it was really far to walk to. However their idea of distance was much different than ours, thank goodness!
Wow beautiful! Love the photos and the history! 🙂
Interesting timing of this post. Imagine a gothic style church in Bermuda started in the 1800’s. Natonal Trusts for Historic Preservation certainly are at work.
Just last weekend our church celebrated the debt retirement of our education building. It made me think of “unfinished churches” such as Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Westminster Cathedral (not Abbey) with its unfinished interior, St. John the Divine in NYC. How can such beautifully conceived structures not reach completion? Wars, money, political interference of all kinds. It made me grateful that our little church in comparison could see something from start to finish. However, who knows God’s plan? Are these structures just physical metaphors reminding us to get on with the job, preferably harmoniously? Perhaps my view regarding our church is naive…there is much struggle and a lot of work to do in our world as you remind us of with your “Cause” blog posts. Excellent post!
Thanks so much! It is a huge undertaking for a church to make the commitment to build and then to stick with it. I have been in several congregations that undertook building projects that did not quite go as planned for various reasons. Thanks for sharing your story of your church!
Great picture of the unfinished church. Jeff and I were at that exact se place in the fall of 2012 and everything you have said about Bermuda is just as we experienced it. You tell it so much better than I do. I think you need to be a storybook writer because you tell about your adventures in such a wonderful way. Don’t ever stop what you are doing, I sooo love to read about them. Until next time…..
You totally made my day, Joanna! My BFF from Mooresville just sent me pics from her honeymoon album as that is where they went 30 years ago!!! We all experienced a lot of the same things and how cool is that?
Imagine how beautiful this church would have been upon completion. But there’s still a beauty to the ruins. I’ll await the tour of the non-folly church.
The other church is beautiful and I spent a lot of time exploring the outside where there is a cemetery as well as the inside. Pretty amazing place and somehow not what I expected to find in Bermuda for some reason.
I love your pictures of the church ruins. It’s so sad it was never completed and used as it should. I think there are many stories there inside those walls.
I bet there are a million stories that surround this structure—if only those stones could talk.
Great clicks Beth Ann! Such beautiful stone work. And the arch windows.. so pretty. The exisitng church looks charming. A sneak preview.. ? Fun!
It was a beautiful sunny day and the perfect day for taking snappies of this wonderful structure.
That church is beautiful and you take such nice photos. Abandoned buildings are fascinating.
Thanks! It was a really neat place and my BFF just sent me pictures of her there on her honeymoon 30 years ago which was pretty neat!
There’s so many parallel’s there in that story eh?! I love the pics. I love looking at ruins.
There is something so intriguing about the ruins and the story of the church. It was such an amazing visit.
I believe it, I got lost in your story and the pics, so I can imagine being there was quite the experience. 🙂
What a magnificent structure and so sad the church never reached completion. If walls could talk, just imagine the stories it would tell us. Looks like you had a wonderful trip and so glad you’ve shared it with us.
Thanks! It was such a neat place to visit and I am so glad that people enjoyed seeing my pictures of it. I imagine there were a lot of stories that surrounded it!
These were beautiful pictures and so glad you got to enjoy your vacation.
beautiful architecture — such a shame it’s not in use. but it certainly does make for great photo ops!
It is a very popular photo spot –several people have told me they have been there and taken shots, too. It is a beautiful place but sad, too.
Looks lovely!
It was a really neat place to visit, let me tell you. I could have spent a lot longer there walking around.