CHAPEL OF THE CROSS

674 Mannsdale Road, Madison, MS

(601) 856-2593

Status: Historical Episcopal Church; Daytime Historical Tours are Available at Request; Chapel and Cemetery Closed at 6pm Everyday

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History

This church was originally designed to be a plantation family church for the Annandale Plantation.

The plantation was owned by John T Johnstone, but he died in 1848, so his widow, Margaret, took up the project; apparently based on a drawing made by her late husband.

The bricks were made on site by the plantation slaves, but artisans were hired to actually build the church at a cost of $3,000 ($115,710 in 2023 dollars). When it was completed, Margaret deeded the church and 10 acres of the plantation to the Episcopal Church in June of 1851.

In 1880 Margaret passed and the plantation was sold. The plantation house was left abandoned until it burned down in 1924.

The Diocese alternated back and forth on the chapel status multiple times between active and inactive but officially declared it closed and fully inactive in 1903.

That being said, Margaret and John’s granddaughter convinced the Church to open the church again in 1911.

It restored and readded to the Diocese again in 1914.

Another restoration took place in 1956 and the US Department of the Interior gave them a $50,000 grant in 1979 for a complete restoration.

 

Paranormal Activity

Many consider this location the most haunted cemetery in Mississippi.

The most well known legend regarding this location is that of Helen Johnstone and her fiancée Henry Vick – a descendant of the founder of Vicksburg – and their tragedy. They were due to be married on June 21, 1859, but Henry was killed in a duel on June 17 in Mobile, Alabama. Henry’s body was returned, and he was buried on what should have been their wedding day.

While alive Helen spend years visiting the grave of her fiancée and weeping at his gravesite. Eventually she did recover, and moved to Europe.

Apparently, part of her spirit remained at the gravesite for eternity.

To this day the ghost of Helen is seen crying to her fiancée’s grave. She is described as being in her early 20’s – as she would have been on her wedding day – and will fade from view if approached by the living.

Helen was also seen crying while wandering the plantation house before it burned down. There have been no reports of her ghost in that area since the fire.

The apparitions of a young couple are also seen walking across the cemetery after dark hand in hand. Often, they climb a tree and sit on a branch together. This could be Henry and Helen, but no one knows for sure who they really are.

The ghosts of 2 children are also seen the cemetery. Although they also have not been identified they – like the couple – are known for climbing the cemetery trees.

A church caretaker is said to have murdered his mentally ill wife – its safe to assume he had some severe issues himself – in the chapel before hanging himself from the building’s rafters.

The blood stain from the murdered wife sometimes appears on the chapel floor and people have reported phantom loud laughter that sounds more than a little crazy as well.

As stated above both the chapel and the cemetery are locked up at night yet from time to time the organ will be heard playing inside the church.