History

The former Cokesbury Church and its congregation have been an important part of the history of Onancock and of the entire Eastern Shore of Virginia. The church grew out of meetings in Onancock-area Methodist’ homes as early as 1784. By 1788, when Rev. Francis Asbury visited William Seymour and preached in Onancock, the Methodists had formed a close fellowship. The Cokesbury Church structure is the oldest church building in Onancock. Built in 1854 in the Greek Revival style to resemble a Greek temple, the building stands today remarkably close in form to how it was originally constructed. The brick foundation is covered with scored stucco to imitate stone, and the weathered siding is distinguished by a finely detailed cornice and Greek Revival corner block moldings. The former sanctuary’s barrel-vault ceiling contributes to its unusually beautiful quality of sound that delights both performing musicians and listeners. Stained glass memorial windows were installed in 1893 by the Philadelphia firm of Alfred Godwin. The Tiffany-like aura of the windows is attributed to the fact that Frederick Wilson, Godwin’s art director in 1893, became art director of the Tiffany Studio in 1894. Godwin’s firm evolved into the Willet Art Glass Studio of today. The Eastern Shore’s prosperous steamboat era around the turn of the 20th Century is reflected in the building’s Victorian additions which fortunately did not overpower the original Greek Revival design. Thus, the present building exemplifies the two major construction practices of church architecture during the latter part of the 19th Century. The life story of Onancock’s two Methodist churches parallels the story of the nation during and after the Civil War. In 1864, Cokesbury members with Southern sympathies withdrew to form a new group that became Market Street Methodist Church, while Cokesbury’s Northern-persuasion members remained at the present site. The two churches functioned independently for almost 1½ centuries until 1996 when Cokesbury’s dwindling membership was forced to discontinue services. As a result of efforts begun in 2000 by several Market St. Church members to renovate and revitalize the1854 structure as a Market Street mission project both churches were united.

Stained-Glass Windows From 2004 through the spring of 2019, all twelve of the stained-glass windows were restored and fitted with new vented storm windows. Eight of the window restorations were provided as memorials: - George Walter by Millie Mapp Mason - Rebecca Mapp by Millie Mapp Mason - The Rev. and Mrs. Frank W. Blake by the Blake family - Chuck and Nan Wheat by Barbara Wheat Meadows - Holly June Evans by June and Jerry Evans - Millie Mason by David Mason - Page Young by Tom Young - The Rev. Kirk Mariner by Earl Frederick Restoration of the other four windows was provided by the Eastern Shore of Virginia Community Foundation.

Enjoy a short video on the restoration of our beautiful stained-glass windows.