St. Columba’s Chapel – Middletown, Rhode Island

St. Columba’s Chapel, also known as the Berkeley Memorial Chapel, is a nationally significant historic ecclesiastical building located in Paradise Valley, Middletown, Rhode Island, just north of Newport. Constructed between 1884 and 1886, the small stone chapel was designed by Philadelphia architect Wilson Eyre and dedicated to St. Columba, the Irish missionary credited with bringing Christianity to Scotland. The chapel was originally commissioned through the generosity of Eugene Sturtevant and Mary Clark Sturtevant, daughter of Bishop Thomas March Clark, and was named in honor of philosophercleric Bishop George Berkeley, who lived in the area in the eighteenth century. [en.wikipedia.org], [preservation.ri.gov]

Designed in the English Gothic Revival style, St. Columba’s is distinguished by its roughcut stone walls, steeply pitched slateshingled roof, buttressed window bays, and intimate scale, all carefully composed to harmonize with its pastoral setting. The interior houses an extraordinary collection of opalescent stainedglass windows, many designed by David Maitland Armstrong and executed by Tiffany Studios, making the chapel a rare and cohesive example of latenineteenthcentury American ecclesiastical art. The chapel and churchyard were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2022, recognizing their architectural, artistic, and cultural significance. [en.wikipedia.org], [preservation.ri.gov]

After more than a century of continuous use and exposure to a coastal New England climate, the building required careful historic preservation and buildingenvelope restoration to protect its masonry and interior finishes. As part of this effort, Slate & Copper Services was engaged to perform specialized historic roofing and architectural copper work essential to the longterm performance of the structure. Our scope focused on roof planes, flashing systems, gutters, and critical transitions at masonry interfaces, where water infiltration had historically threatened the building fabric. Historically appropriate materials were integrated alongside discreet modern measures to ensure effective drainage and durability while preserving the chapel’s original appearance. [preservation.ri.gov]

All work was executed with restraint and precision, respecting the chapel’s scale, material palette, and architectural character. Traditional craftsmanship was paired with modern performance standards to ensure that interventions remained visually subordinate while significantly improving resilience against moisture and weather exposure. 

Today, St. Columba’s Chapel stands as one of the most evocative historic religious buildings on Aquidneck Island and a rare intact example of English Gothic Revival ecclesiastical architecture in Rhode Island. Slate & Copper Services’ contribution reflects a commitment to historic slate roofing, architectural copper craftsmanship, and landmark preservation, supporting the continued stewardship of a site whose significance encompasses architecture, art, and community history.