The History of Saint James Church, Monkton, Maryland
Nestled in the heart of Maryland’s historic My Lady’s Manor, Saint James Church has stood as a place of worship, community, and tradition for more than two and a half centuries. Founded during the colonial era, the church remains one of the oldest Episcopal congregations in northern Maryland and continues to serve as a spiritual and cultural landmark in Monkton today.
The story of Saint James begins in the early 1700s, when the region known as My Lady’s Manor was established through a 10,000-acre land grant given in 1713 by Charles Calvert, the Third Lord Baltimore, to his fourth wife Margaret Charleton. As settlers gradually moved into the rural countryside north of Baltimore, members of the Church of England traveled long distances to worship at St. John’s Parish in Joppa. By the mid 1700’s it became apparent that a new church was needed to lessen the long journey on horseback. To better serve residents living “in the fork of the Gunpowder River,” local families sought the establishment of a chapel closer to home.
Around 1750, Saint James was founded as a “chapel of ease” connected to St. John’s Parish. Construction of the original brick church was completed in 1755. In the years 1753 and 1754 services were held at irregular intervals in the home of Nicholas Hutchins below the present church building on the Old York Road, later named Harmony Hall by his grandson, Joshua Hutchins. The first structure, which today forms the church’s transept, was built in the Georgian architectural style common to colonial Maryland churches. The bricks were odd size, made in America and turned by hand from old English molds. They were laid in Flemish bond, side to end. Interlaced diamonds were worked into the western wall. The building quickly became both a religious center and a gathering place for the farming families of My Lady’s Manor.
As the population of the region grew, Saint James became increasingly independent. In 1770, the Maryland Assembly officially recognized Saint James as a separate parish. This milestone established the congregation as its own ecclesiastical community only a few years before the American Revolution transformed colonial Maryland and the young nation.
During the Revolutionary War, the surrounding lands of My Lady’s Manor were confiscated from Loyalist ownership by the State of Maryland. Historical accounts note that gunpowder was at times stored within the church building itself. Despite the uncertainty and conflict of the era, Saint James survived and continued its ministry to local families.
Throughout the nineteenth century, the church expanded alongside the evolving Monkton community. Additions were made to the original structure, including enlargements to accommodate a growing congregation. In 1821, a school was constructed adjacent to the church, reflecting the parish’s commitment to education and community life. When a bell tower was added in 1884, bricks from the earlier school building were reused in its construction, preserving a physical connection between generations of parish history.
The arrival of the Northern Central Railway in nearby Monkton during the nineteenth century brought new activity and commerce to the region. Yet despite these changes, Saint James retained its rural character and close ties to the traditions of My Lady’s Manor. The church cemetery, enclosed by historic stone walls, became the resting place for generations of local families whose lives were intertwined with the parish.
In the twentieth century, Saint James continued to grow and adapt. A parish hall was constructed in 1904 and later expanded. Educational and community programs flourished, and the church became widely recognized for preserving the heritage and traditions of northern Baltimore County. In 1974, Saint James Church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in recognition of its architectural and historical significance.
Today, Saint James Church remains an active Episcopal parish where worship, music, education, and fellowship continue in a sacred space shaped by centuries of faith.
For more than 250 years, Saint James Church has stood as a witness to the history of Monkton and My Lady’s Manor — a place where generations have gathered for worship, marked life’s milestones, and strengthened the bonds of community that continue to define the parish today.
Saint James Church before the Bell Tower addition.
Saint James Church after the Bell Tower addition in 1884.
A painting of the original Saint James Academy built in 1821. Painted by John Robbins from a description.
An old photograph of Saint James Rectory built in 1837.
Saint James rectory as it appears today.