The current Christ Church Parish Church located in Oistins, Christ Church, Barbados was built in 1935 and is the fifth parish church on the site. At various times the previous structures have all been destroyed by natural disasters including flood, fire or hurricanes.
The original Parish church structure was built in 1629 and was located near Dover Beach. In 1669 the church was destroyed by a flood, which scattered coffins and bones from the church cemetery across the beach.
The next church constructed was destroyed in the hurricane of 1780. Another Parish Church was built in 1786 and was again destroyed by the 1831 hurricane. The new church was then destroyed by fire in 1935.
The church is known for its churchyard which contains the notorious Chase Vault, in which coffins mysteriously have moved around within the sealed vault. A detailed investigation by the Governor of Barbados and members of his staff was made in 1820 but it offered no explanation and the coffins were eventually each buried separately after further recurrences. Today visitors are able to visit the vault at the church site.
Famous quotes containing the words christ, church and/or parish:
“Not one man is forgiven! East, West, North, South!
I bite off their dingbats. Christ rots in my mouth.
I curse the seed of my father that put me here
for when I die there’ll be no one to say: Oh No!
Oh dear.”
—Anne Sexton (1928–1974)
“Please stop using the word “Negro.”... We are the only human beings in the world with fifty-seven variety of complexions who are classed together as a single racial unit. Therefore, we are really truly colored people, and that is the only name in the English language which accurately describes us.”
—Mary Church Terrell (1863–1954)
“There is not a single crowned head in Europe whose talents or merit would entitle him to be elected a vestryman by the people of any parish in America.”
—Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826)