Lowcountry plantations were big — so big it could take most of a day to reach a neighbor’s house or a full day to get to Charles Town. Traveling by horse, buggy or on foot was a long, arduous process that required extra miles to find shallow places to cross creeks and waterways.

Rivers were the fastest, most practical way for 18th century planters to travel. Unfortunately, ferries were often required and rarely ran on time. Getting to church on Sundays could be a monumental undertaking.

Planters resolved this by creating chapels of ease, small houses of worship near plantations. Ministers would visit at least once a month to hold services and visit the sick. Congregants still had to travel to parish churches to receive holy sacraments such as the Eucharist, baptism and matrimony, otherwi

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