The Fincastle
United Methodist Church
"The congregation of the Fincastle United Methodist Church was organized in 1790
by Francis Asbury, ""the prophet of the long road"", who was also responsible
for drawing the plans for the first Fincastle Methodist Church in 1802. The
original building was erected shortly after the land was purchased from Patrick
Lockhart and his wife for 12 pounds on July 12, 1803. The original building was
eventually condemned, torn down with the aid of oxen teams, and replaced by the
present structure in 1840 following a great revival conducted by William Craft.
Several features of the church building remind us daily of our heritage. The
balcony gallery was built for slaves and servants and was entered by a separate
door. The church pews are divided in the center, reminiscent of a time when men
and women were prohibited from sitting side by side to avoid distractions. The
four chairs behind the pulpit were crafted in Fincastle by David Spangler, and
the two black chairs were kept on each side of the ""Amen Corner"" (to the right
of the minister) and were used by the oldest couple in the church. The bell in
the belfry, still in use, was cast by the Hadley Company in 1811. The original
chandelier was broken when the church ceiling fell in 1941, and was replaced in
1973 by the present chandelier obtained from a small Methodist Church near
Blacksburg, VA. The bracket light at the back of the church is original, and the
side lights were copied from the original and installed in 1974. " |