Southwark Parish was founded in 1647 and its boundaries were twenty miles wide and extended to the south by 120 miles. It included Upper Chippokes, placing it in the northwestern part of the county. Lawne's Creek Parish predates Southwark back to 1639 and was located in the northeastern part of Surry County. Also in 1642-1643 in the northeast part of the county another parish was started called Chippoaks. In 1738 all of the parishes of what had become Lawne's Creek and Southwark were united and divided into two separate parishes having the Blackwater River as a boundary. The parish north of the Blackwater became Southwark and the parish south of the Blackwater became Albermarle. (Information is from Bohannan's Old Surry.)

Monument to Old Southwark Church

St. Paul's Episcopal Church, located near Surry Courthouse, is the only active church of Southwark Parish. Ritchie Memorial Episcopal Church in Claremont remains a part of Southwark Parish but has been deemed a shrine as a place for special services.

Surry Court House was the first meeting place of the original St. Paul's Congregation of twenty-six communicants. In 1885, a solicitation brochure was published requesting donations of twenty-five cents to help defray the cost of building a new church.

After Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Whitley deeded the present church lot to the congregation of St. Paul's, our gothic revival style church was completed on July 23, 1886. The deed to St. Paul's was recorded on February 22, 1887 and during the same year Bishop Francis G. Whittle consecrated the building. Seventy years later in 1956 our Parish House was built.

St. Paul's Episcopal Church has a long history in Surry County. As one looks around the church, there are many memorials to her members. Our modest, but active congregation provides fellowship and a strong spiritual foundation for the happy Christian home.

St. Paul's Episcopal Church 2006

SUNDAY SERVICES 9:00 AM SPECIAL SERVICES Ash Wednesday Maundy Thursday Good Friday Christmas Eve Times determined each year.