Tree removal leads Elizabeth City church to uncover centuries-old artifacts

ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. — A church in Elizabeth City is waiting to hear from North Carolina state archaeologists about how to proceed after unearthing artifacts that could be 300 years old on its property.

On June 20, the Rev. Daniel Cenci, rector of Christ Episcopal Church on McMorrine Street in Elizabeth City, says crews began digging up a rotted magnolia tree to make room for a new playground.

“They started digging a hole for drainage and they came across all these bricks,” Cenci told News 3 from the scene, adding that he believed it could be an ancient crypt. “We sent our crew out and started digging around a little bit more to see what was in there. We started finding dishes, china and glassware.”

Unsure of the age of the artifacts, Cenci says the church named its downtown neighbor, the Albemarle Museum.

“They determined that this was significant enough and that the pieces were old enough to contact the state archaeological office, which we did. The state sent a crew that started digging last Tuesday,” he told News 3.

Cenci says the team found more artifacts, all of them in a church office.

They include glass and ceramic pieces; Chinese porcelain, an old French wine bottle and even bones thought to belong to a pig. They are believed to date from the early to mid 18th century and mid 19th century. The oldest artifact appears to be an old clay jug or vessel.

“People at the museum say it could date back to 1720,” Cenci said.

That would predate the current Christ Episcopal Church building by more than 130 years. It was built in 1856 and is the oldest church in Elizabeth City, Cenci says. The church itself was founded in 1825.

Cenci told News 3 the church is waiting to hear back from state officials in Raleigh to find out if his office will continue with the excavation or if the church should move forward. But he says parishioners are excited, as is he.

As fate would have it, Cenci majored in religious studies and history at the University of Alabama.

“One of the reasons I was drawn to Christ Church was the history of this place,” he said. “(Soon) we will celebrate our 200th anniversary and we made this discovery of a house that existed when the church was founded. “It gives us a great idea of what life was like here 200 years ago.”

And it all started with an innocent dig that unearthed the roots of an ancient city.