Pon Pon Chapel of Ease Ruins, Jacksonboro, South Carolina

“We are all naturally seekers of wonders. We travel far to see the majesty of old ruins, the venerable forms of the hoary mountains, great waterfalls, and galleries of art. And yet the world’s wonder is all around us; the wonder of setting suns, and evening stars, of the magic springtime, the blossoming of the trees, the strange transformations of the moth.

Albert Pike

We were driving through the South Carolina countryside loving the roads less traveled and seeing all the farms with the cows, goats, mules, and horses grazing in the pastures. There were many babies amongst them staying close to their mommas. We enjoyed seeing the lovely country churches that were scattered throughout the landscape. While driving down a small country road, we were surprised by six deer running across the road to safety right in front of us. It was a beautiful site. We also enjoyed seeing a field loaded with turkeys moseying around. South Carolina is a beautiful state that is so wide open and with so much beauty to see from the mountains to the sea. We now are in the lowcountry section which is lovely with cypress swamps and lots of open space.

We saw the sign for Pon Pon Ruins and turned to go see this historic site. Pon Pon is an Indian phrase that means “big bends” which was a reference to the settlement that was built along the Edisto River. The Edisto River was sometimes known as the Pon Pon River. We pulled up in front of the gate at the entryway but we saw no historic markers there which we thought was odd. There were signs saying to respect the ruins and to visit only in the daylight. We walked around the path on the side of the gate and headed towards this brick ruins that looked like a building that belongs in Texas.

Joe and I wandered around this treasure in complete isolation with not a sound except for the birds chirping and wind whipping through the trees. The facade of the church ruins are now supported by steel beams that have been installed. That is because in 1959 a hurricane toppled much of the remaining structure leaving only two walls still in place. It is now roped off to protect the structure. We walked around the grounds looking at the sacred ancient cemetery where they continued to bury people even after the church became a ruins. A couple of notable people buried here at the ruins include Congressman Aedanus Burke and O’Brien Smith. We spotted a cistern to the rear of the property.

The first church built here in 1725 was a wooden church and was built as a Chapel of Ease to accommodate those in the parish that could not make to the parish church in Charleston. It served as one of the two churches serving St. Bartholomew’s Parish after the Yemassee War in 1715. The Assembly of the Providence of South Carolina allowed this church to be built here as both a Chapel of Ease and a parish which was unique in South Carolina. The reason why they allowed it to be both is they never built the parish church. This church was made noteworthy as John Wesley, the founder of Methodism preached in this wooden building twice on April 24, 1737. In 1754, a brick chapel was built to replace the wooden one. This church burnt down in 1801 and became known as the “Burnt Church.” It took the community twenty years to rebuild this church after the fire. The new church was completed between 1819 – 1822.

Then in 1832, the new church was destroyed by fire or another devastating event and was never rebuilt. Parts of the church are still standing as a memory of yesteryear. The original building was one story high and was at least three bays wide and five bays long. To understand what a bay is, it is considered to be the space between columns or roof trusses. It featured rounded arch windows and door opening and two Oculus windows on the front of the church with a rounded roof line. The Colleton County Historical and Preservation Society is hoping to add a parking lot and a walking path to Issac Haynes burial site. He was a prominent American since he was a Captain of artillery and at the same time a state senator. He was executed by the British during the American War of Independence in Charleston on August 4, 1781.

We enjoyed this stop and its peaceful setting. I would love to have seen this church in its prime. If you are in the Jacksonboro area, this is worth the stop.

Take US 17 to Jacksonboro and take a left at SC 64 W at the light. At 2.2 miles take a right onto Jacksonboro Road and right onto Parkers Ferry Road. The ruins are near the corner. You will see a gate with the ruins right behind it.