Historic St. John's Church

St. John’s Historic Church in Richmond, Virginia, is famous for Patrick Henry’s “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death” speech. The Visitor Center is wonderful, and a kind, friendly staff member helped me purchase books and other materials about this important moment in history. I was also happy to learn that he was from Connecticut. The guided tour was very affordable and informative. The guide explained the difference between a cemetery and a grave site and pointed out that Edgar Allan Poe’s mother is buried there, sharing how she came to be laid to rest at the church. He also did an excellent job explaining the headstones surrounding the church. Inside, the church is beautiful, but standing in the vestibule where Patrick Henry delivered his speech was truly remarkable. It felt like living history. I highly recommend visiting this historic site.

My 9 year old daughter (visiting sites for her 4th grade Virginia studies project) and I visited on a Saturday morning. We bought tickets for a guided tour in advance online. Upon arrival we met with John in the visitors center who then walked us through the graveyard and church, delivering a full history on the founding of the city of Richmond, what was here before - Powhatan history, construction of the church, and the assembly where Patrick Henry delivered his famous Liberty or Death speech. John was an amazing tour guide, incredibly knowledgeable but also tailored the tour to my 9 year old and was very interactive asking her questions about what she’s learned in school. My daughter said this was her favorite site she’s visited and she came away so excited about everything she’s learned. We also made another stop at the visitors center and picked up some reasonably priced souvenirs.

We did a tour of the grounds and church and were pleasantly surprised with the amount of history contained in the tour and just generally on the grounds. Audio tour was decent, but the real life guide John was incredible. He had a great sense of what was important and where to add more detail based on our questions and interests. He did a small rendition of Patrick Henry's speech that was stellar. Delivered important political and social context for the situation surrounding the speech which was more detailed than expected but certainly appreciated. Great view from the top of Church Hill and generally an incredible piece of history to behold.

Loved the experience and all the history. The guide is so sweet and so knowledgeable. Loved sitting in the pew thinking of all the lives that church had housed in its many years of existence....and for the famous speech as well! You must visit. The self guided graveyard tour is extra special too. Go and do the tour.

The reenactment is absolutely amazing!! All the actors had put so much passion and effort into their roles. From the moment it began, we were transported back to 1775. The staff were really knowledgeable and friendly. It was a wonderful experience to watch the reenactment and then walk around the historical building and graveyard on a beautiful fall afternoon.

We found out this location was close to where we were staying . It is one of those types of stops; you don't realize how close you are until you start looking around deeper at places nearby. We had to add the stop to our list before we left Richmond. We got to the church when they were opening up for the day. The gentleman that was there was apologizing for being so late to open up (but it was only 5 minutes). We talked to him about the freeway traffic we would hit when we left. He asked us if we wanted to take a tour of the church. We had already read all the placards and said we had to go. The church offers a shortened tour that allows visitors to go inside for a brief period to see the interior and take pictures. We opted for that and had an extremely pleasant experience. The docent was friendly and answered all our questions, even though we didn't take the full tour. She let us take as many photos and videos as we wanted, and we weren't rushed. Loved it. We are so glad that we stopped here, and we want to thank the staff for treating us with the respect and consideration of a customer and traveling tourist. We wish we could give a sixth star. We highly recommend you stop at this location if you find yourself in Richmond. We commend the individuals working on the morning of June 28, 2025, for their outstanding performance. We appreciate the efforts of the gentleman at the gift shop and the woman who guided us into the church. Thank you! We will have a video and blog post coming out about this location sometime in January as we are extremely backed up on our media being posted live.

It's a beautiful church with wonderful history. Visited this place for the 5th time. The historical theater only played in the prime summer time. Watched it twice, which is a must see. We enjoy the guided tour every time. Very cute gift shop. Stuffs are extremely helpful and friendly.

This place was really beautiful. The church was very unique. I believe it was the first church built in the new world or something like that. The cemetery surrounding it was very old. I found Edgar Allan Poe's mothers grave. The inside of the church was very unique. I loved all the little boxes that you sat in. We were too late for the actual tour but they did just let us come in to take a couple pictures look around and the lady was awesome to even share some information with us.

The spark to the American Revolution and subsequent independence started here, with the immortal words of Patrick Henry, surrounded by George Washington Thomas Jefferson, Richard Henry Lee, and others. Great tour. They also do reenactments on the weekends. Although the church continues to run with a congregation, it is also home to the foundation that raises money to maintain it, run reenactments, and educate the public. Our tour guide, Betty, did an amazing job of explaining some of the history to us. We are also fortunate enough to meet the Foundation director, Who explained a bit of history as well. Well worth a visit.

It just so happened that I was visiting Richmond the weekend of the final summer reenactment of Patrick Henry's historic speech and it was wonderful. Patrick Henry duking it out with fellow Virginians Thomas Jefferson and George Washington and shouting his famous "Give me liberty or give me death!" that lit the fire for the American Revolution. Aside from that, it's a beautiful classic church that does have actual services when they're not busy fomenting revolution against the British. Saint John's Church was built in 1741 by Richard Randolph on land donated by Richmond's founder, William Byrd II. It continues to serve Henrico Parish (founded 1611). Buried in its churchyard are George Wythe and Elizabeth Arnold Poe, mother of Edgar Allan Poe. Well worth a visit even if it's not time for the speech. They also have a gift shop. [Review 11778 overall, 1560 of 2019.]

When in RVa...go here! Especially if you can see a re-enactment which I was able to do today. Patrick Henry was wise to George the III and knew what was coming. It was here at this location that he was inspired to bring his resolutions for a vote. It was close, but the motion was carried. If you value your Liberty and recognize that it's not by accident, I encourage you to but the $5 advance ticket for a good seat and experience this historic event that led to the Revolution. The only part of the building that is original is the 'Sounding Board' about the pulpit, it has been restored and is really something to see.

Wonderful tour. Tour leader very knowledgeable! Good history lesson. Do not forget to checkout cemetery.

Why don't you do and see things that are right where you live? Me, I've made up my mind to enjoy all Richmond has to offer. This includes visiting St. John's church and the "Liberty or Death" reenactment. It was awesome! I just regret not going sooner. Admission is free, but we purchased the $5 advance entry tickets. They were worth the money as we were admitted ahead of the free "ticket holders" and were able to choose seats that provided a great view. We sat in the row with George Washington and were right there as he debated with Patrick Henry and the other delegates. All together there were seven actors portraying delegates like; Patrick Henry, George Washington, Edmund Pendleton, Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Nelson and Benjamin Harrison. All the actors did a great job, never missed a beat. The sat scattered about the church so it helped to make the audience feel a part of the actual debate. Do I recommend this experience? Yes! Would I go again? Yes! After and before the performance we took advantage of the gorgeous weather we had today and strolled around the church grounds. After the performance we visited the gift shop and found some great books about Richmond, our founding fathers and history of the revolution. All in all a great day!!

Perfect little spot to wander around in, even if you don't end up getting a tour. Peek inside the windows and take a look at the beautiful decor of the church. Nice quick little historic spot to stop in and brush up on your history.

St. John's Church that was built in 1741 and is the oldest surviving wooden structure believed to exist in Richmond. As many know already, St. John's Church is where Patrick Henry gave his "Give me liberty or give me death" speech in 1775 at the second Virginia Convention. This speech is credited with swinging the balance of votes in the Virginia House of Burgesses to pass the resolution for Virginia troops to enter the Revolutionary War. This speech is reenacted every Sunday at 2 pm between Memorial Day and Labor Day. History abounds at St. John's Church. In graveyard of the church, you can find the tombstones of many historic figures. Among them are Elizabeth Arnold Poe, the mother of Edgar Allen Poe, and George Wythe who was the first Virginia signer of the Declaration of Independence. The grounds are great for getting a feel for what it must have felt like hundreds of years ago. The entire area is surrounded by a brick wall and there is also a gift shop and the aforementioned graveyard. The perfect "start" to any tour of Richmond and a great place to bring guests from out of town.

As a descendant of Patrick Henry (fourth great grandson), I have to say this is simply the best of all of the historical places involving Henry. If you get to Richmond on a Sunday, there are reenactments at approximately 1 p.m. that are currently open to the public. For approximately an hour, you participate in an event that occurred over 200 years ago and the trials and tribulations of their day are not so different from ours in this day! It's important to remember that the birth of our nation really began at this historic building. Every US citizen should see this live. To quote Henry; "Give me Liberty or Give me Death" Clay H

Beautifully kept historic church and graveyard. Our tour guide was very friendly and knowledgable. He cheerfully answered all of my daughters questions.

We came here with my daughter's 4th-grade class. We were fortunate enough to attend the reenactment of the second Virginia convention, where Patrick Henry gave his famous "give me liberty of give me death!!" speech. Both the kids and adults were riveted... a great learning experience for all of us! The audience was encouraged to shout out "hear, hear!" at appropriate points, and we all were able to vote. We went to five different places in Richmond during our all-day field trip, and this was my favorite. The church itself was beautiful, especially the ornate stained glass windows. I enjoyed wandering around the graveyard (on the path, of course), looking at the various tombstones and thinking about history. The gift shop is nice as well. A historical, as opposed to a religious, gift shop.

Richmond is known as the Civil War capital, but most people don't know that Patrick Henry gave his famous "Give me liberty or give me death" speech at St. John's Church in Church Hill. Professional actors, many of whom also work in Williamsburg, perform reenactments of the famous speech, and the best-kept local secret is that the 2 p.m. show on Sundays is free. Kids will love it since the actors are embedded in the audience and it's kind of interactive, with the audience voting "yay" or "nay". The cemetery has a lot of graves from the early 18th century and the cute little gift shop has some nice souvenirs for both kids and adults. This is a fun and educational free thing to do on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Attended liberty or death reenactment. Outstanding performances. A must see, so much history. It is free, however they offer reserved seating for a very reasonable fee, which highly recommend. I'd attend again!

This is definitely a must on every Americans list that is confused about what this country is about. I would have loved to have herd Patrick Henry give the speech that changed history. Just imagine the expressions on the people present that day. God Bless America! Cheers!

Never thought I'd enjoy going here: I was wrong! The tour is terrific.What fantastic American Revolution history. Not to be missed, old or young. Unfortunately parking situation is all street parking. Be prepared for that. But it's well worth the effort. Wear comfortable shoes.

The basics - open most days of the weeks for tours every half hour. Approximately $7 fee, a little less for "students" (under the age of 18, not with student ID) and seniors. Go down to the brick Visitors Center/Museum gift shop to purchase tickets, not the church itself. Beautiful and interesting grounds - I love a good cemetery - and a truly interesting and important site in our colonial/revolutionary period. But lets just be clear. This is not a tour. You gather at the front doors of the church, hear a little history and then are escorted inside and take a seat. Then you listen to more history - a good half hour's worth - before leaving by the side door. While it is a fascinating story and I love that the tellers are dressed in period costumes it is simply not a tour - but still well worth a visit and a great reminder that Richmond is so much more than the just the capitol of the confederacy.

This is an active church, so it has been kept in an excellent state of repair. Recognizing the significance of the place that hosted George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, and the rest of the 2nd Virginia Convention of 1775, the church provides tours, reenactments, seminars, and other events for those interested in history. The grounds are usually open, so you conduct your own self-guided tour. Remember that it is an active congregation and check the website to avoid interfering with church events and services.

The reenactment is entertaining while educational, great to bring a family or to even go on a date if history is something that tickles your fancy. The staff is very friendly and helpful. The whole reenactment is in the historic St. John's church. The show is FREE and all donations go towards keeping the tradition. Right next to the church is another church, St. Patrick's church, that unfortunately, I did not get to see. The parking situation isn't super awesome but you will find some if you show up 30 min early like we did. We found a spot about a block away. Aside from parking, showing up early means you will be able to listen to a tour of the cemetery and some of the early history of Richmond, VA. Afterwards, the actors take pictures with people.

This was a wonderful visit. The church is beautiful, the graveyard very interesting, and the tour guide did a great job of introducing us to the location without boring me. I will definitely be coming back and bringing more family and friends.

It was a great experience to see ,the reenactment was very accurate and informative. The graveyard surrounding the church was filled with dead people/famous dead...people :). It is located in a easy access area. The reenactment starts Sunday once a month around 2pm. Visit there website for more exciting information http://www.historicstjohnschurch.org/

Tour of church was conducted by a young man who did a super job bringing vigor to Patrick Henry's 'Liberty or Death' pronouncement, glad we took time to visit the church and surrounding graveyard.