Brandon Parish is one of the oldest in Virginia with its history dating back to 1613, when Bandon Plantation was patented by Captain John Martin, an Englishman who came to Virginia with Captain John Smith in 1607.

The present building is the fourth to be used by the parish. The first two were wooden structures located on Brandon Plantation itself. The third building, which was the last in the line of Colonial vintage, was erected on the site of the present Burrowsville Community Center around 1723. This structure is believed to be the one at which Col. William Byrd met his men on his way to run the dividing line between Virginia and North Carolina in 1728. The present building is of brick construction with stucco finish and was built in the early 1850's by James Gray. It was consecrated November 7, 1856 by Bishop John Johns, and services have been held continuously in this structure since that time. The church has been designated a National and State Historic Landmark,

Silver Service

One of the parish's most cherished possesions is a silver service that is rated among the most historical in America. It is believed to be the third oldest English Communion silver in this country and second oldest in continuous possesion of the original church to which it was given. This English-made silver was given to the parish by John Westhorpe, who left in his will of June 12, 1656, a thousand pounds of good merchantable tobacco to buy the Communion Chalice and Paten. There are similar inscriptions on both vessels: "This is the gift of Maio (Master) John Westhorpe to the parish of Martin's Brandon."

In Addition, the parish has a silver baptismal bowl on which is engraved: "Martin's Brandon Parish 1731". This is the only such bowl surviving in the Doicese, although there were undoubtedly others in use in the Colonial period. Cromwell had forbidden the use of baptismal fonts in England in favor of the use of bowls such as this one. The silver service is now only used on special occasions.

Memorial Stained Glass Windows

Brandon Church contains seven stained glass windows, including two Tiffany windows.

1. Altar Window - W.A. Temple 1845

2. Charlotte Bemiss Daniel 1970

3. Robert William Daniel 1970

4. Isabella Ritchie Harrison *

5. Isabel Randolph Daniel 1935 *

6. Harrison Window 1951

7. Grace Holdsworth 1981

* indicates Louis C. Tiffany windows

Pipe Organ

The Brandon Pipe Organ was given by the Ritchie family in memory of "Our Beloved Mother Mrs. Isabella Ritchie, Christmas, 1873". The family purchased the instument from the leading organ builder of the era, Henry Erben, of New York City. Restored in 1980, the organ was placed in the balcony, its original location. The organ is one of 52 built by the Erben firm for Virginia churches, and is one of only three remaining unaltered and in thier original location.