The watertable at Christ Church stands some thirteen courses above grade. It is a line of molded, sloped bricks that marks the transition from the building's foundation to the walls above. A feature of classical architecture, the watertable also provides the church an identifiable base.
Both above and below the watertable the brickwork is Flemish bond. Some colonial Virginia churches (e.g., St. Mary’s White Chapel in Lancaster County) and houses (e.g., Wilton in Middlesex County) used a combination of Flemish bond above the watertable and English bond below. As was common elsewhere, the rubbed brick on the sides of Christ Church does not continue below the watertable.
The watertable has had few repairs to it over the years aside from any needed repointing. |
 The watertable at Christ Church is a classical element that marks the transition from the foundation of the church to the walls above. Notice how the rubbed bricks at the corners do not run down past the watertable. A brick splash installed in the 1960s once encircled the church, running out about 30 inches from the base of the brick walls. It was removed in the 1990s, but a faint outline of where it stood can still be seen in this photograph. |
