The Pon Pon Chapel of Ease Ruins is one of South Carolina’s great historical treasures. The chapel was established in 1725 by an Act of the General Assembly to serve St. Bartholomew’s Parish, one of the 10 original parishes established by the Church Act of 1706. St. Bartholomew’s Parish included the territory between the Edisto and Combahee Rivers in the area known today as Colleton County, but it was originally a Native American settlement known as “Pon Pon”. On April 24, 1737, John Wesley, who founded the Methodist denomination, preached twice at the Pon Pon Chapel of Ease, thereby increasing its historical value. The first chapel structure was built with wood and was replaced with a brick structure in 1754 due to hurricane damage. Since that time, this chapel has been reduced to ruins or suffered significant damage multiple times. What remains today is just a hint of what it once was, yet still a beautiful reminder of the history it holds.

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The chapel suffered a devastating fire in 1801 and became known as "Burnt Church." It was not rebuilt until about 20 years later sometime between 1819 and 1822 and was destroyed again in 1832, though unclear if by fire, a different type of catastrophe, or neglect. Parishioners did move away from the area during the nineteenth century, so the chapel was not rebuilt.
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In 1959, Hurricane Gracie made landfall as a Category 4 storm over the Saint Helena Sound, demolishing the front curvilinear gable of the chapel ruins.
Pon Pon Chapel of Ease Ruins
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Efforts were made to partially reconstruct and stabilize the front façade of the Pon Pon Chapel ruins in 1975.
South Carolina Department of Archives and History
In 2017, Hurricane Matthew struck the area, once again causing damage to the Pon Pon Chapel of Ease, and in 2020 it sustained additional damage in early July possibly from wind or settling.

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The Pon Pon Chapel of Ease was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.
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Near the ruins is a graveyard where prominent figures in South Carolina and Colleton County history are interred, including U.S. Representative Aedanus Burke and Congressman O'Brien Smith.
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SC Lowcountry Tourism Commission/Facebook
The Colleton County Historical and Preservation Society has started a fundraiser to repair and restore the Pon Pon Chapel of Ease, with a goal of making it into a park-like setting. Please be mindful and respectful of boundaries placed to protect the ruins when visiting in person.
C Bilyeu/Google Reviews
The ruins are located in the small town of Round O along Parkers Ferry Road, which was once a busy stagecoach road used by President George Washington during his 1791 Spring Tour. It's rumored that he even stopped to worship at the Pon Pon Chapel of Ease!

 

For more on colonial South Carolina history, check out this book: Colonial South Carolina: A History.

Have you ever visited the Pon Pon Chapel of Ease ruins?

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Pon-Pon Chapel of Ease, Parkers Ferry Rd, Round O, SC 29474, USA