A Scouting Trip to McClellanville and Wambaw
The planning for the 2025 Fête des Huguenots and associated Ramble has begun with a day trip up Highway 17 into French Santee.
We are very excited to begin working on the plan for a French Santee Ramble in April 2025. I must say I miss my rambling friends of last April and our wonderful day together in Upper St. John’s Berkeley. I had all in my thoughts as I ventured out in a drizzle of rain from Charleston to begin the day. I was ready to head up to the first parish established outside Charleston where so many Huguenots had made their home in the new world.
For me, it is a very familiar drive to places that hold happy memories. Many a day I spent rambling this area with my parents and later with friends. The best shrimp boils were always up this way. The day began with a fantastic lunch at the famed T. W. Graham’s that included flounder, shrimp and coconut cream pie, after which we journeyed on to visit with Harriott Cheves Leland for a long chat about the area and how we might begin our planning. Many of you may know Cheves as the author of French Santee which is available via our Society Shop and she is our valued historian, especially when it comes to this parish.
Next was a visit to St. James Santee Parish Episcopal Church. I won’t go into the rich history here as we will save that for the ramble. The church was built as a Chapel of Ease for Wambaw Church in 1890. It has always been one of my favorites as I so adored the fretwork inside and out as it made the chapel seem like something out of a fairy tale book when I was small. It sits beneath beautiful oaks with draping spanish moss and overall has the most beautiful and peaceful feeling to it. The use of cypress and pine yield a stunning result in woodwork and a richness to the interior that quiets your mind the moment you enter the space. The church is still active and servicing the villagers of McClellanville situated along Jeremy Creek.
Pictured: St. James Santee Parish Episcopal Church, McClellanville, SC
Our next stop was The Village Museum at McClellanville where we were warmly welcomed by the entire staff. Bud Hill, Director Emeritus of the museum, was very kind and provided an in depth tour of the museum and shared many interesting stories from the history of the area. Mr. Hill is a wealth of knowledge and valued historian - we look forward to hearing more from him on our ramble. The museum had a display featuring Jamestown and the French Huguenot settlement which was very interesting to read. A small advertisement for the long and short leaf pine for the church caught my eye - the name Morrison being very familiar to us as our recent past President of the Society. Outside was a rice pounding mill once owned by Daniel Horry, II. There is much more to this story and others we will prepare for our tour in the Spring.
Pictured: Interior images from The Village Museum, McClellanville, SC
Next was a departure from the Village and about a twenty minute drive to Brick Church, also known as The Brick Church at Wambaw. It is hard to describe the beauty and feeling of this journey. Once the car pulls off Hwy 17 and travels a short distance, a left turn is made onto Old Georgetown Road - the old King’s Highway - a dirt road lined with tall pines on either side. Here begins roughly a two mile ride to the church. First thing you notice is the temperature drops about ten degrees in these pines. We went from 86 to 77 degrees in a short bit of time. Down go the car windows to enjoy the fresh air and the lush beauty of the pines. The drive is alongside the Wambaw Swamp Wilderness and is heading toward Jamestown and into the Francis Marion National Forest. This ride in the sandy dirt provides one with a real sense of a carriage lane leading to church and its peaceful surroundings. It is easy to imagine our ancestors moving along this road on foot, horseback or in carriages and it adds to the overall experience of the visit that the area remains so well preserved and natural.
The church building dates to 1768, is Georgian, and constructed with imported English brick with columns of local brick. The flagstone flooring and the plaster in the vaulted ceiling are original. There is a plaque on the pulpit in honor of the French Protestant minister, Reverend Pierre Robert. Once inside, the high pew boxes are the most striking and not often seen in the Lowcountry. We find in this church, again, a stunning use of pine and cypress. Several pews have keyholes for locks and all have the customary interior latch. The interior layout is interesting with a centered altar and pulpit to the far side. There is a great deal of history to share when we return to visit this church.
Pictured: Altar, keyhole on a pew box door, entry doors looking out, plaque to Rev. Robert.
The Brick Church at Wambaw.
Pictured: Interior of the church, a door latch on a pew box, exterior door latch, flagstone flooring.
After this first scouting trip I am so very excited to be underway with planning next year’s ramble. We almost have the date in April secured and will announce very soon a Save the Date. I hope everyone who can come will join us as we venture into the Parish that holds so much history and meaning for our Huguenot ancestors upon their arrival in Carolina. How did it all begin? What were those first years like for them? Who was there? So much to explore together as descendants and cousins! We will continue to visit the area for months to come, meeting with historians and planning what I know will be a meaningful experience for our guests. Still to scout are Hampton Plantation, Jamestown, the French Santee Cross site and more.
The Honorable Daniel Huger, one of the earliest settlers on Santee. He was born at Turenne in 1651 and in 1685 he fled France and emigrated to Carolina. He died at his plantation at Wambaw. This monument tells his story and is situated in the churchyard near the entrance to the church.
Blog post submitted by Elizabeth F. Gay, Executive Director, The Huguenot Society of South Carolina