One Church, Two Towns

St. Frances Methodist Church was built in 1842

If you pass through Lewiston - Woodville, North Carolina, you'll come across one of the most beautiful country churches, alone in a field, where the only entrance is through the cemetery.

St. Frances Methodist Church was built in 1842, by Thomas Bragg, Sr., on three acres of land generously donated by Humphrey H. Hardy. To help build the church $1000 (which in 2026 would be roughly equal to $40,612.22) was donated by Frances S. Pugh, for whom the church was named. The architectural style for the interior is Greek Revival, with what's called a "projecting narthex."

Notice that I said the church was in Lewiston - Woodville? Well according to the historical record there were more people from Lewiston attending church services than from Woodville, so the congregation hitched up some mules into a team, and pulled the building three quarters of a mile, to bring it closer to Lewiston.

Like many churches the congregation dwindled over the years to, in the early 1990s, a single member, Elizabeth Steinhardt-Widmer. In 2000 the church was moved back to Woodville and the original site. This time, however, mule teams were not used. And currently the church is for sale as possibly a private residence or an event venue - like wedding receptions.

Here are some images from the cemetery that you must traverse to enter the area where the church is.

And between the cemetery and the house someone has hung a swing.