A Legacy of Preservation: St. Phillip's Church Commitment to the Future

St. Philip's Church is a visual icon of Charleston. At 200 feet tall, and nearly 200 years old, the National Historic Landmark has an enduring legacy of resilience, so when we saw scaffolding surround its historic spire, our team took the opportunity to learn more.

In 2020, the congregation of St. Philip’s Church embarked on an extensive preservation initiative to ensure the long-term structural integrity of its historic campus. The initial work planned to focus on the west cemetery gates and the two primary entrances on the east and west sides of the church. As the scaffolding went up the team seized on the opportunity to expand the scope of its work.

To say that the historic steeple and portico presented a scaffolding challenge would be an understatement. Not all scaffolding is created equal, and the innovation employed to meet the challenges is impressive. The last time the historic steeple required the use of exterior scaffolding was following the devastation from Hurricane Hugo in the early 1990s and there were extensive notes to learn from. Eddie Porcher, PE of Stantec Consulting Services, Inc. designed the steel structure that is supporting the steeple scaffold and worked alongside engineer Tom Wolfe to develop the custom layout that allows access without placing excessive weight on the roof.

To be technical: The lower scaffold was built off bolted steel supports at the base of the steeple, while the upper scaffold was suspended from the belfry, minimizing direct impact on the historic structure. From beginning to end, it took about 6 weeks to construct the custom scaffolding for the 200 foot spire.

“We made a conscious effort to hire the very best people we could find, the best supervisor for this job, the best craftsman, the best materials…” St. Philip's St. Warden, Foster Gailliard, shared. “Every effort that is being made here is being made in the absolute best way that it could be done.”

One of the most visually striking components of the project was the regilding of the church’s iconic cross at the tip of the spire. Specialists from Canning Liturgical Arts meticulously stripped the metal down to its base, applied a custom bonding primer, and hand-applied 24-karat gold leaf, restoring the cross to its original brilliance. The restoration of historic windows’ wrought iron detailing, and the church’s clock faces — handled by Bell Foundry Christoph — further reinforced the commitment to craftsmanship and authenticity.

“When you look back at what the generations before us have done… this building burned in 1835 and the parishioners rebuilt it in three years; it survived the Civil War; it survived the earthquake of 1886; the tornado of 1938; countless numbers of hurricanes… the people before us have been great stewards, and we feel that it's incumbent upon us to preserve and protect this property for the next generation and the generations to come.” Penn Hagood, St. Philip's Church Jr. Warden

The larger preservation effort, Shine the Light, is a capital campaign dedicated to preserving the church’s historic campus and, unlike many preservation projects, it is entirely funded by the congregation. “The satisfaction you get from seeing true preservation efforts carried out by a group of people with conviction to do it – it’s almost a model,” says architect Bill Huey who is also sure to credit Reverend Jeff Mill, Rector of St. Philip’s, for his holistic insight and vision that inspired fellow members to get involved. Following the preservation work on the steeple, additional projects include the expansion of the parish hall, additional stucco repairs, and countless other projects including the creation of a new school on the corner of Cumberland and State Streets.  

To make this happen, multiple projects must happen simultaneously to fully maximize the scaffolding – a dance carefully coordinated by Ryan Magee, Partner with Magee Ratcliff Construction, LLC, and project superintendent, Nathan Youngman. As our team toured the site, climbed the scaffolding, and ascended the very narrow spiral wooden staircase up to the very top of the historic spire, we witnessed impressive preservation work and techniques employed at every level. The steadfast dedication to preservation from the congregation is inspiring, and we applaud their excellent stewardship of this important Charleston icon.

Shine the Light team at St. Philip's Church: 

• Ryan Magee, Partner with Magee Ratcliff Construction, LLC
• Nathan Youngman, Project Superintendent with Magee Ratcliff Construction, LLC
• Eddie Porcher, PE — Stantec Consulting Services, Inc. — Engineer of Record for Project
• UpSouth, LLC (Historic Masonry Restoration)
• Glasgow Roofing Company., Inc. (Roofing and Flashing Repairs)
• Canning Liturgical Arts (Re-Gilding Cross) 
• Bell Foundry Christoph (Clock Restoration)
• Custom Quality Scaffolding (Scaffolding) 
• A.B. Holling Construction Inc. — Bucky Holling (Steel Erection for Scaffold Support)
• A&R Steelmetal, Inc. (Steel Fabricator for Scaffold Support) 
• Koozer Painting, Inc. (Painting)
• Sealtight of South Carolina, LLC (Joint Sealants)
• St. Philip's Church Construction Committee Chair — Jim Stelling
• St. Philip's Church Rector — Reverend Jeff Miller
• St. Philip's Church St. Warden — Foster Gaillard
• St. Philip's Church Jr. Warden — Penn Hagood
• St. Philip's Church Construction Committee Member — Bill Huey, architect