The 6 Most Beautiful Gothic Churches In West Virginia

West Virginia is known for its natural beauty, including the Appalachian Mountains and the iconic New River Gorge. It is also home to several notable Gothic-style churches, designed to evoke awe and wonder through height, light, and stained-glass windows. The trademark aesthetics, especially at St. John's Episcopal Church, feature an ethereal style intended to promote worship and meditation. These six churches exemplify the traditional Gothic elements that define the Middle Ages, which were revived in the Romantic period for religious symbolism and a nostalgic longing for medieval values.

Flying buttresses, ribbed vaults, and pointed arches are Gothic signatures in each of these churches, and these are the most beautiful Gothic churches in West Virginia. The brick exteriors and pointed arches at Saint Peter Church in Harpers Ferry, and the hipped roof of Centre Wheeling Fellowship, demonstrate classical styles. The 19th-century marvels have become landmarks, both for their architectural grace and for places of worship in their communities.

Centre Wheeling Fellowship, Wheeling

Centre Wheeling Fellowship is a classic Gothic Revival structure, built in 1908 after several iterations. The church traces its lineage to 1836, when Wheeling was officially incorporated as a town and located on 18th Street. It became the St. John’s Evangelical Protestant Church in 1870, with the second church being dedicated two years later. In 1906, the property was sold to the B&O Railroad, and its current location at 22nd and Chapline Street was purchased.

The building features a buff brick exterior, a hipped roof, and gables in the classic Gothic style. The gothic-arched stained-glass windows are double-hung, with a bay window on the south facade and a second-story oriel window. The attached parsonage on the west side of the church features a gabled roof, Gothic arched windows, and one-over-one windows. The church community, through its transitions and classic architectural styles, aims to be the congregation where "traditional and non-traditional meet”.

First United Methodist Church, Huntington

First United Methodist Church is a stunning Gothic Revival structure built in 1912, the third building that the congregation utilized. It is known for its gray stone towers, stained-glass windows, and classic architectural lines, topped with a red-tile roof. The 100-foot corner towers are recessed from the facade, and when it was first built, the minister claimed that they replicated the "Magdelen towers of London." The Cleveland sandstone and the towers' prominent stone features resemble castellation, with its fortified grandeur.

The interior's chancel is intentionally located between the entrances at the tower bases, so latecomers to the service had to walk down the aisle in front of the entire congregation to find a seat at the back. The auditorium is flanked by three art-glass windows, topped by a stained-glass dome. The original parsonage is directed to the sanctuary, where removable screens separating the Sunday school accommodate an overflow of parishioners.

Davis Memorial Presbyterian Church, Elkins

Davis Memorial Presbyterian Church is a late-Gothic Revival structure characterized by its quarry-faced sandstone blocks and a single tower. The tower is capped with a tall pyramidal roof with red tiles, and it has arched lancet windows. The Gothic style is rounded out by brick arches, red oak and hemlock woodwork, and an open timber ceiling with expansive trusses. The interior is characterized by a lengthy addition from 1921.

{"embedUrl":"https://www.instagram.com/p/DQ4VUOCjNA8/embed/"}

The church was originally called the "White Church" until the congregation outgrew the original structure in the 1890s. As the town and the church grew, Senator Henry G. Davis and his brother decided to build a church in honor of his mother. The current church was donated in 1895 with a crowd of 800-1,000 members present, and in 1920, the Christian Education portion of the building was constructed.

St. James Evangelical Lutheran Church, Wheeling

St. James Evangelical Lutheran Church was built in 1860 in the Romanesque Revival style but underwent extensive renovations between 1890 and 1891. Though the styles are both distinctively Medieval, Romanesque has a more grounded feel and rounder edges. The current structure features a stone front facade and two steeples of different heights, creating an asymmetrical aesthetic that enhances the overall composition. It also features gable parapets, decorative pinnacles, Gothic-arched windows and transoms, and a bell tower, all of which contribute to a classic Gothic appearance.

The church was originally called St. James German Evangelical Lutheran Church, and the lines are still visible on the north side wall. The interior includes a second-story sanctuary that is more modern than the church's 1890 renovation. Notable features include round-arched stained-glass windows and a 1986 addition for the church school and office.

St. John's Episcopal Church, Charleston

The magnificent St. John's Episcopal Church is the oldest church in Charleston and is on the National Register of Historic Places. It was consecrated in 1837 as the Kanawha Parish, which occupied the corner of Virginia Street and McFarland Street. The need for a larger building was evident in the 1880s, so money was raised for the current church, which broke ground in 1883 and had its cornerstone laid on April 26, 1884.

The Late Gothic Revival-style structure is easily recognizable by its bold stone tower and spire, as well as its noticeable Victorian Gothic elements. It is constructed from quarry-faced sandstone in a cruciform shape and braced by pier buttresses. The interior features a dark-stained, open-timber ceiling and Victorian-era stained glass. The chancel wall is adorned with engraved crosses, a nod to its original design, which stands out amid the additions, such as the lecture room added in 1950.

Saint Peter's Roman Catholic Church, Harpers Ferry

The Victorian Neo-Gothic Saint Peter's Roman Catholic Church was completed in 1833, the third church built in Harper's Ferry, and the only one to survive the Civil War. It is a grand structure with sweeping views of the town and river, adding to its majestic qualities, including its soaring ceilings and elegant stained-glass windows. Constructed of gray stone with red trim, its tower and spire rise majestically from the southeast corner, which is on a cliff overlooking the town.

The classic design features suspended vaulting with gilded pendants and an awe-inspiring polygonal apse. The windows are predominantly blue and green, so natural light washes the congregation in muted tones and designs. There is no separation between the nave and the aisles in the wide-open sanctuary, giving a communal feel that matches the muted tones pouring in from the windows. The hillside overlooking Saint Peter's contains the wreckage of St. John's Episcopal Church, which was damaged during the Civil War, adding a somber note and a sense of renewal to the lone church building that survived.

From the simple, elegant style of Davis Memorial Presbyterian Church to the massive stone towers of First United Methodist Church, these are six of West Virginia's most beautiful Gothic churches. The classic elements of buttresses, stained-glass windows, and vaulted ceilings are more than a nod to the style's Medieval roots; they are a call to worship. The architectural style made a comeback in the 19th century, specifically for religious reform and grandeur, and these churches are classic examples of its timeless features.

St. John's Episcopal Church in Charleston is a notable example, featuring towers that reach skyward, adorned with crosses and red trim. It is also the oldest church in town, being added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. These hallmark Gothic elements have made the churches landmarks in their communities both for their timeless style and as centers of worship.