Old Sheldon Church Ruins

A beautiful church where you can stop for a breath of fresh air along the way. You can enjoy the beautiful trees, the silence, and the peace. And of course, you can enjoy the tranquility. If you have small children, you can show them how to pump water from the well on the right of the entrance. They'll have a lot of fun. It's also possible to take a journey into history. You can park your car in the parking lot across the street.

A very interesting stop after leaving Edisto Island. The church ruins were empty, after a brief rain. Not even a mosquito; and this was July! The place takes you back in time. A lot of history here. Worth stopping.

Absolutely beautiful landmark. Definitely worth the stop to view the ruins and visit a few of the graves of pioneers that settled there. Nice picnic area off to the side, parking across the road. Interesting that the hand pump on the well inside the gate still pumps water, can just imagine pumping water for the horses while families attended church 170 years ago

Well worth the slight detour off the route between Savannah and Charleston. It‘s a really peaceful little place with beautiful old trees and quite the history. A place where you definitely find yourself ruminating on history and all the things humans do.

I love it. It's a cute few minutes stop to stretch after a long drive. It's nice and relaxing driving inside the "tree tunnel". The ground around the ruins is well maintained as well. It's a lovely, pretty old church ruins. FREE ADMISSION

Beautiful place! Went a couple months ago. Tons of parking across the street. Or you could park along side of the road. When we went, the grounds keeper was there. He allowed us to pass the gate. He even gave us a history lesson on the place! Some great and interesting information! Definitely a must see if you enjoy history. Very peaceful and clean.

Absolutely love driving and seeing something that looks cool and turning around to check it out. This unplanned stop had a lot of history and was very well taken care of. This is the ruins of an old church, older than this country and gravesites that date back as far as the 1700's. Easy parking.

Parking is limited here, you have to pull off to the side of the road (or park across the highway from the church). It isn't usually too busy on a weekday though. The ruins of the church (built circa 1751) are nestled in the woods, surrounded by headstones from the surrounding cemetery, so the whole place has a very somber, quiet atmosphere. Beautiful, historical place to visit!

This is a neat stop. I wouldn't necessarily go out of my way for it. If you're in the area then stop. The ruins are beautiful. It's a tragic but amazing story of a church and their history. It's also neat to see the old and see the history of the people that are from the area. There is a small parking lot it's across the street so if you're not paying attention, a lot of people pass it because there is no parking sign directly in the front of the ruins but look across the street and you can park there.

If you're a lover of history visiting Old Sheldon Church Ruins will a good spot. The British burned this church down in the 1700's. It was rebuilt to be burned down again in 1800's. Only graves, oak tress and the ruins remains

Beautiful historic ruins located on Old Sheldon Church road outside of Yemassee South Carolina. The grounds are nicely kept with plenty of walking areas and great photo opportunities. Cool old grave stones to look at and talk about. Parking is across the street from the ruins. No facilities but wheelchair accessible.

A few miles off I-95 but pretty much in the middle of nowhere, this former church stands just off the road in the woods, slowly being reclaimed by nature. It's almost haunting, seeing the gothic arches, brick columns and knowing the history of being burned by both British troops and Union troops during its time. The marker gives all the description of the site you need, "These ruins are of Prince William's Parish Church, built ca. 1751-1757 and partially burned during the American Revolution, with its interior and roof rebuilt 1825-26. This Anglican church was primarily paid for by Lieutenant Governor William Bull I (1683-1755), who is buried here. It is often called Sheldon, after Bull's plantation." And on the reverse, "Local Loyalists burned the church in 1779 during a raid by General Augustine Prevost. It was assumed by many area residents in 1865 and has been widely believed since that Federal troops burned Sheldon Church during the last months of the Civil War. It was actually dismantled by local freedmen ca. 1865-67." There is parallel parking by the roadside and a short walk to the site, which has a few picnic tables around. The church itself is surrounded by a low fence to help preserve the site. [Review 19491 overall - 1063 in South Carolina - 461 of 2023.]

While the Lowcountry has been successful as a marketing term for tourism in the broader region, once you get outside of the beach and a few hotspots, much of coastal South Carolina is quite rural, with private mansions interchanging space with shacks and vehicles that look like they're from another era. There aren't necessarily a ton of publicly accesible spaces to stop, but this is one of them. There is a little area to pull over next to the church (if you don't mind people needlessly honking at you from behind as anyone not interested in the church is zipping down this country road), but also a parking area across the street with some portapotties; they aren't amazing but sometimes it's any "port" in a storm. Some sort of private foundation chooses to maintain the grounds of this historic church, whose foundations stand out amongst the greenery. Someone was mowing while I was there. The aesthetics of the area are fascinating, and it boggles the mind at times how this whole area was settled without the benefits of modern technology. The foundations of the church stand tall, and while they are weathered they do not appear to be in any danger of falling. A gravel path leads through the site, and several gravestones and plaques adorn the surrounding land. There's nothing else to see here, but it's an interesting enough attraction to be worth a small diversion from a drive through the Beaufort area.

Definitely worth a stop if you're passing by on Highway 17. Beautiful old church ruins with some very old grave stones. You can walk around but you can't walk inside the fenced-in area of the ruins as it was chained off. The seven mile drive on the Old Sheldon Church Road Scenic Byway from Highway 17 to Yemassee is also quite pretty.

Awesome place... even in the rain! Was headed to Hilton Head Island and decided on this detour! Clear skies for most of the trip until 3 miles out. Go figure! Pulled up and we were the only ones there. Watch out for traffic when parking roadside! Safety first! It was wet, of course but I took the time to go out and take some pictures. Enjoy! As I walked back to my car, I spotted an old well pump! "Man, this thing looks rusty! Does it work?!" I gave it a couple of pumps and out came water. I took a sip and headed back to my awaiting chariot (I love natural water sources!)

On our way to Tybee Island outside of Savannah GA, Tony and I stopped at this old church site and graveyard. It was absolutely beautiful and free!!! The free parking lot is located across the street and is very large and accommodating. The trees are Gorgeous yet spooky with the Spanish Moss hanging eerily yet still beautiful in the trees and throughout the forest There is about 35 marked graves but wonder how many unmarked? They have weddings here! There is a lot of history hanging out in the trees

No visit to Beaufort is complete without a pit-stop to the old Sheldon Church Ruins (aka Prince William's Parish Church). Located in the woods and surrounded by towering Oaks, the remnants of this once massive church are a sight to see. Built in the 1750s and dismantled by locals after the Civil War, the outer walls and towering columns still remain of this church. Even in ruins, the wealth that was once in this area is evident by the large size of the structure. If visiting, there is a free parking lot directly across the road from the ruins. You should plan for at least an hour to fully explore (although I doubt it will take that long.) There are many old tombstone and mausoleums to view throughout the property and a few historical markers scattered throughout. The remains of South Carolina's former Lt. Governor William Bull and his wife can be found within the gated section of the ruins. Bring bug spray if you visit in the Summer. The mosquitoes will be biting. :)

Once known as Prince Williams Parrish Church, the location of OLD SHELDON CHURCH RUINS is so peaceful and serene that it is often used as a wedding venue. After parking in the available lot directly across the street, we were taken back by the beauty of the property with its well maintained grassy fields and gorgeous Spanish Oaks! The twisty branches, beautiful moss and stunning canopies seem to hug you in a lovely embrace as if you were entering the safety of a cocoon. The remaining structure is over 250 years old, which is a real testament to the skills of the craftsman who originally built it. Especially when you consider that (according to legend) it has been burned twice! Once by the British in the 1779 Revolutionary War and again by Sherman in 1865 during the Civil War. However, there seems to be conflicting proof that Sherman, in fact, did not burn the church. Instead one report says it was gutted for wood to rebuild area homes burnt by Sherman... arguably America's most famous Arsonist! The walls and exterior columns still look strong and upright while showing of its Greek Revival architecture, said to be one of the first in America to be built in the style of a Greek Temple. Even after over 2 centuries, the craftsmanship details are still visible, but the ruins are now surrounded by a fence, so details must be appreciated from a distance. Throughout the property are gravesites, many of which are children that saw less than 3 years of life. The most prominent graves are within the fenced area and one is said to be the remains of Colonel William Bull who was heavily influential in the layout of nearby Savannah's Historic Squares. Bull Street in Savannah was named after the Colonel and is about 3.5 miles long, passes 5 of the 22 squares, and is the center of the Nat'l Historic Landmark District. There are also picnic tables to relax and spend the day but be forewarned... there are also many ghost stories associated with the property. Popular sightings are of Ann Bull Heyward weeping at one of the infant graves as well as visitors being touched while walking the grounds. There are plenty of online videos describing the ghostly activities of this and many other county sites for those interested in ghost hunting. FINAL THOUGHTS A true hidden gem worthy of a visit if ever you are in the area. The quaint town of Beaufort is directly south on Hwy 21, I-95 will take you towards Hilton Head Island and Savannah, while Hwy 17 will lead you directly into Charleston. ENJOY! 2021 / 98

Definitely worth visiting. It's close to the road and cars go fast, so watch GPS. Look for the parking area across the road.

Still so gorgeous, just a shame people ruined it for others with vandalism and now you cannot walk into the church due to a fence

Very beautiful historic church & cemetery with unlimited photo opportunities. If you go in the summer, take your mosquito repellent! No matter what time of the day, your going to be bombarded by bugs. Still managed to get some stunning photos even moving quickly.

What a beautiful historical spot. I've seen other yelpers post about Sheldon Church and knew I had to stop in sometime. I was making a weekend trip to Savannah and planned to check it out on the way down. It's only a few minutes off the highway so if you've got daylight, there's no reason not to take this little detour. If you're traveling south from Charleston then this comes up right after you pass the cider stand on the right. We were the only ones here when we came and then a family showed up before we left. I'm not sure if there are times that you can get into the locked gate that surrounds the ruins, but it was so cool just walking around the grounds and the perimeter. Parking is across the street in a dirt lot. This would be a great spot to bring a picnic, but the mosquitos were in full bloom so sume spray would help.

We were very excited for this place during our road trip in South Carolina ! This is really a historical and one of the uniquely beautiful and breathtaking places you could visit. This place is worth visiting, in-spite of having to take a detour two hours out of our way. The church has many stunning views to offer so I would suggest walking around and then look around, because you would catch a new view every time. The history of this place - built in 1745 and burnt by British and federal army, the burnt marks can still be seen on the bricks. It was kind of hard to capture any good picture because there were many people with their tripod stands and cameras in the center of the ruins. I see why it can be appealing for the photographers - The bright red brick arches against the green foliage and the sunlight makes up for perfect pictures. The fact that this has a lot of historical significance is what makes it very appealing. A must visit !

Halloween of 2018 some friends and I decided to go visit at night because we heard the rumors about this place being haunted. Right as we walked up to the gate, a car with an older couple pulled over and told us "Have you guys heard abour this place? You really don't need to go in there. Some really bad things happened there." That was all they said before they left, and that's the only car we saw the entire time we were there. We still decided to go in, and I felt drawn to the trees over to the right of the church ruins. I got about five steps towards them when I saw something that looked like an animal. As I got closer, I saw that it was actually some sort of small, child-like figure crouched down and covered in mud, and it looked over its shoulder at me. As soon as it saw me, it vanished. I don't think I've run faster in my life. Definitely one of the freakiest experiences I've had!

If you're traveling between Savannah and Charleston, it's worth your while to stop off the highway and view the Old Sheldon Church Ruins. It was rainy and chilly the day of our visit, so I did a very quick walk-through, took some photos to remember the scene, and headed back to the car...to watch my friend walk through it at a much more relaxed pace via Facebook Live. Not one of my most adventurous moments. You need to read up on its history to fully understand the significance of the ruins. It's a pre-Revolutionary church that was burned to the ground twice, yet the shell remains and is quite striking. You can walk right up for free but be respectful of the grounds, of course. Since the weather wasn't the best, no one else was around so even just sitting in the car, I felt some chills! It was spooky but not in a creepy way. More like an overwhelming peacefulness? If that makes sense? If you can spare the time: Go.

Just as most of the previous reviewers have said... this place is a must-see! Even if you're just driving through the SC coast on Highway 17, this is only a few minutes off 17 and a great place to stretch your legs. If you're visiting Charleston or Beaufort and want to see the more rural/natural areas, the ACE Basin as a whole is amazing. Old Sheldon Church is an old church that was destroyed by fire twice (thanks Brits and Yanks). Now the brick walls stand with their beautiful arches and the altar is still in place. The surrounding trees drape over it and it is truly picturesque. Beware of mosquitoes and gnats in the summer, they were bad and if you aren't used to them you may need bug spray. Please be respectful of the site, don't let kids climb on things. It is truly hallowed ground. Otherwise, take lots of photos and enjoy some of the beauty and peace South Carolina has to offer.

I'll bet this was a beautiful church. It was burned by the British Army. There is a discrepancy in history on what happened. Either it was burned again in the Civil War or dismounted by locals to rebuild their houses. Lots of history here. Beautiful place and setting.

Must See. Incredible. Special. Touching. Very quick detour off the main road/highway. Don't miss this!

The Old Sheldon Church was burned by the British Army in 1779. It was rebuilt and then burned by the Federal Army in 1865. What remains today are stunning ruins and gravesites. The church is about 2 miles off of 17. Parking is on the street and it comes up quickly (right side of road and you will see a historic marker). When we arrived, there was only one other person there- an artist painting the site. We really enjoyed taking pictures of the church and reading all the beautiful headstones. This is a must-see if you are on your way in or out of Charleston or Beaufort!

The feeling you get while walking the grounds is something you need to experience to understand. The ruins are apart of our history and I think a great stop to show your young students as they can see and experience history. The history behind this church is that it was once named Prince William's parish church. It was burned by the British in 1779 during the revolutionary War, rebuilt in 1826, and then burned again in 1865 during the Civil War. It's commonly used for weddings and a beautiful backdrop for family pictures. If you're in the area, stop by and touch history.

This is a wonderful stop just outside of Beaufort. You should definitely come here to stretch your legs or take in the beauty and history if you are headed into or out of Beaufort and Charleston. We went on a rainy day and it was still blissful. I am disappointed by the lack of respect of some people who have defaced this historical Landmark but one should definitely still stop!

What a beautiful and majestic place so rich in culture & history. Definitely a site to see in person.

Really nice place to visit! Totally worth the quick stop.... saw a few tombs and even an armadillo!

A must stop and see type of thing if you're traveling along US 17 in SC's low country. It's only 2-3 minutes off the highway on Old Sheldon Church Road, and completely worth the 30 minutes of travel time you'll lose to explore this small, but amazing historical site. Google the history, go there, read the marker, look at the site and be amazed. The state has done a nice job keeping the grounds up. From what I can read, it sat overgrown for decades before folks started showing interest in the property. I've included some student renderings of the site from the National Parks Service site.

After driving by on Hwy 17 for years, I finally took the turn to Old Sheldon Church ruins. Hidden under the tall canopy of oak trees with Spanish moss, this scenic historical site will take you away. The brick church exterior, with columns standing tall, is amazing and memorable. It makes you stop, and just think about how life was back then. The history here is heartfelt and makes you wander about in awe. Plus natural beauty of blooming dogwood & azaleas is all around, and creates a serene beautiful experience. If driving by on Hwy 17, take a moment and see this beautiful historical site. Else your missing out on our history.

A worthy pit stop between the drive from Savannah and Charleston. There is a gravel lot across the tucked ruins, drive safely as cars are flying down this road. Giant ants and lots of bugs here but you really only need a few minutes here. It's peaceful yet eerie at the same time, very scenic.

We were informed about the Angel Tree by the councierge at the Courtyard Marriott Charleston Historic District. Andrea the concierge shared a couple places to visit on our drive from Charleston to Hilton Head and we picked two: Angel Tree Old Sheldon Church ruins As we drive from Charleston to Hilton Head, just before turning left onto highway 21, to Beaufort and Hilton Head, we went just past the turn and visited the Old Sheldon Church ruins. It was still hot, even in the shade, so our patience was sadly a bit short, but we enjoyed seeing the tall, and some curvy, trees, many with Spanish moss, and the ruin walls themselves... and the sarcophaguses, too. The Church is a great place to see the beauty of God's Creation in the lowountry - the ruin walls are pretty well preserved, as are the gravestones and sarcophaguses. The rest of the land looks as if Nature is understandably returned to it, which one should expect... and yet the ruins remain relatively "unreclaimed," preserving some of the sanctity of the Church. Our daughter posed us and captured some great family photos, with us standing staggered inside the old church/ We were eager to get to Hilton Head so we got back in the van and drove on, glad for the recommendation we received and glad we made the stop. Thank you Andrea, for your tips!

I found out about this place through Adam The Woo's daily vlog. It looked absolutely magical on YouTube and seeing it in person did not disappoint. I admit that I didn't read much about it ahead of time. I'm not much of a history buff. I came to appreciate the beauty and capture some photos. If you're traveling between Charleston and Savannah, you owe it to yourself to make a stop here. It's not far out of the way and you'll only need a few minutes. There doesn't seem to be much parking outside of a small strip on the side of the road right at the entrance. Luckily, we were only one of a few cars at the time.

Very pretty spot to stop, take pictures, and stretch your legs on a road trip from Savannah to Charleston. There's plenty of parking in the designated lot across the street from the ruins. Look both ways when crossing the street!

A must see in SC! But wear long pants the Mosquitos are really tough and hardcore down here.

Very cool and intriguing :) fun for the history buff and photographer :) We drove out to see it and the 7 of us walked around, looked at the graves snapped some photos. Over all a great historical sight and a must see in South Carolina

Beautiful brick remains of an 1800's church. Beautiful on a sunny day. Many say it's haunted... Try walking around amongst the sepulchers behind the church, and I think you'll agree! Try the hand well pump near the entrance... Cool water!!

The ruins are not at this exact address but close by it. There is parking, motion triggered spot lights if you are visiting in the evening, a working well with water if you pump it, a bunch of cemetery plots, & the ruins of the church. Very cool place to visit & observe especially the evening before Halloween! Great experience. Happy this historical building is being preserved & is still open to the public to view & enjoy.

Gosh. I can't believe how much I love this wondrous piece of low country history, yet never wrote a review. This is a MUST SEE stop for everyone. We were fortunate to attend a wedding on these sacred grounds and it was magical. I cannot drive on this stretch of 17 without stopping. The road, lined with live oaks, sets the mood for the ruins. Walking among the ruins, reading the grave stones, enjoying the shade of the live oaks... it's a peaceful place and an important part of history.

A must visit spot if you are on Highway 17 heading to or coming from I-95. It sits just off of the main road, perfectly enough down Old Sheldon Church Road. You will find a decent size dirt parking lot on the left side of the road, while the ruins will be on the right side. Use caution when crossing the road. Wait until you are on the other side before allowing yourself to be taken in by Sheldon's beauty. While it is a small country road, the local drivers are all too familiar with it to be bothered with such silly things as speed limits. It is difficult to give it a fair description. Even the best photos do not do it justice. You have to see it for yourself to understand what I mean, and you should as soon as you get a chance. Take a picnic, remember bug spray, bring your camera, and remember that this is a place with a lot of history, memories and please give it the respect it deserves as well as others who are enjoying it with you. Bored one weekend? It makes for a perfect day trip. Here's my account of my day trip adventure: http://charlestondaily.net/a-walk-through-old-sheldon-church/

I'm glad we took this side trip on our way to Hilton Head from Charleston. Very interesting location. Made for some good photography if you're into that.

I didn't think much about people saying it felt "creepy" prior to going. When we arrived and walked through the gate, the hair on the back of my neck stood up. It was more of a feeling of sacredness and history with a physical presence. It was beautiful and serene. Would be a great place to bring a picnic or pictures. Worth the trip!

My Son and I got lost in the back country for the weekend. While not a great time killer, (30 minutes), its cool to see the ruins and read the placards. Its in the middle of no where so I would say its good to go as far as Diversity. The structure is Awesome and its so weird how its just in the middle of no where. So if you find yourself lost in Yemmassee SC the with your Son and your Dog, stop here.

Love Old Sheldon Church ruins. This is a hot spot for photographers and history buffs. Every time of the day the photos can change with the different lighting. Take notice of the marking on the wall that looks like a face staring at you while inside the ruins. Tad strange as it appears those eyes follow you as you walk around.

An old church that was burned hundreds of years ago but all the brick work and columns still intact and several really old grave sites and beautiful trees surrounding. A missed exit heading to IOP and the GPS took had us take the next exit and we ended up passing this and decided to stop. Great picture moments to be had here with the family!!!

What a beautiful place! Filled with history and nature. We stop here coming back from Edisto, Hunting Island, Beaufort..... Great place to get out and stretch, take some pictures, and soak in the ruins. I even took my maturity pictures here. Please bring bug spray or else lol.

I had seen the pictures of this spot online, but none of them compared to what these ruins look like in person! Absolutely breath taking! From the history to the overall feel of this place, you will not be disappointed. There are picnic benches under gorgeous oak trees for a nice lunch spot. Watch out for ant mounds around the grave sites and bring your camera for some amazing pictures! A must stop spot if you are traveling through South Carolina.

It's beautiful. It's free. It's haunted. It's perfect. The Old Sheldon Church Ruins are one of those rare, not so off-the-beaten-path places to visit just because you can. It's located just five minutes off Highway 17 near Beaufort, SC on a simple two lane road. There is plenty of parking, but you have to keep your eyes open or you'll miss it. If you're coming from Highway 17 the ruins will be on your right, with a large parking lot on the left. Both are hidden behind trees so you can easily miss it. The church ruins are magnificent and in really good shape for ruins. All four walls of the former church remain, along with four massive pillars out front. There are also a few grave markers and enormous oak trees to explore. This is a very popular place for weddings, portraits, landscape photographers, and history buffs. But while it's a stunning place to visit during the day, it's even more beautiful at night. Located about a hundred miles from the nearest major popular center, the skies are really dark and you can easily count thousands of stars at night. The view from inside the church looking up is unbelievable. And it's also a haunted place, which I loved. I thoroughly had a few years taken off my life while spending an hour here one night shooting photos. Loved it. I'll do it again.

I've driven by this place three times to date. The fourth time, my manthing mentioned a postcard picture so I hopped on the Google to see how far away it might be. It was two minutes down the street from the little shop we were at on US 17! What luck, we went to explore. What a beautiful place, fun history and just a short detour on a road trip. Totally worth it too. Bring a good camera!

We toured the ruins of this church on a recent trip to Beaufort. What a spectacular place to visit and explore! There were lots of people there taking pictures and meandering on the property. We make it a point to visit beautiful sites in our area, and this was worth the trip.

Great place to visit. Built in 1745. Burnt down twice. Old cemetery markers dating way back. 1800's, some to old to read. Beautiful setting amongst all the moss ladened Oak trees. Worth going out of your way. There is even a hand operated water pump that actually works.

The location is slightly out-of-the-way from the main roads, but worth checking out. It is the ruins of a church, with graves surrounding it and only columns remain. I came in the evening, so the place had an extra surreal look with the golden sunset cutting through the woods. It is just unique and worth a few minutes to explore.