History of the Church of the Epiphany
 

The roots of the Church of the Epiphany are in the establishment in 1804 of Rocks Church near Rocks Planation on the old Santee River Road approximately 15 miles from present day Eutawville. Rocks Church became the parish church of Upper-St. John's parish in 1864. Upper-St. John's was first settled chiefly by the English, but, as the French Huguenot families who had settled along the lower Santee began to accumulate wealth and to increase in number, they moved up the river in search of new lands and better health conditions. By the early 1800's these French planters were the owners of huge plantations in Upper-St. John's. The French and English planters had made great fortunes from the planting of cotton. Their wealth was reflected in large homes that they built at this time. Some have been destroyed by the ravages of time or by fire and some were lost to the Santee-Cooper Project of 1938.

As the Eutaw village grew (later named Eutawville),the people felt the need for a church that was conveniently located; so, in 1849 the present church building was built as a community chapel. It was not consecrated so that services could be held by any demonination in the area. The original building had a slave gallery. It was later removed and a small fenced area provided for the few Negros who wanted to attend. For many years, this chapel was used for a chapel of ease for the Rocks Church, also called the Church of the Epiphany. The first Rocks Church was built in 1804 near the entrance gate of the Rocks Plantation and for sume time was a chapel of ease for St. Stephen's Church. The congregation of the Rocks Church was composed maily of families who had migrated westward from St. Stephen's Parish. The Rocks Church was separated from St. Stephen's Church in 1864 and became the Parish Church of Upper-St. John's.

The chapel in Eutawville was enlarged and improved at this time (1864). In 1880, a chancel and vestry room were added and the roof reshingled. In 1899, the carved rood screen was put up. It was reportedly made by Dr. Edmonds, a medical docto whose hobby was woodcarving, to disguise the fact that the ceiling in the sanctuary was lower than that of the church.

This little chapel continued to thrive. Sunday School was held regularly during the summers when the plantation people moved to the village. Later, because of the large area involved, services were divided between the chapel and the Parish Church at the Rocks Plantation. On the first and third Sundays, services were held in the chapel and on the second and fourth Sundays at the Rocks Church.

A great change came about in 1938-1942 when the Santee Cooper Project left the Rocks Church and its old cemetary on an island in Lake Marion. Because it was being vandalized, the old church was deconsecrated and torn down in 1954, and a monument erected on its site.

Epiphany Chapel was consecrated on January 30, 1949, and is now the Parish Chruch of Upper-St. John's. In 1984 an auziliary building, which has been named "The Vestry" was added. This addition provides vesting space, a small office, and a bathroom. The addition blends with the architecture of the Church and is connected to the Church with a covered walkway.

The following inscription is taken from the monuement of the Rocks Church site:

"These grounds and cemetery remain hallowed. This marker is placed in loving tribute to relatives and friends alseep here 'til the consummation when He shall come in His eternal glory."