Woman robbed at knifepoint at Old Sheldon Ruins; Police ending search of area, release says

A woman was taking photographs at Old Sheldon Church Ruins Tuesday when she was robbed at knifepoint at about 12:10 p.m., Sheriff’s Office Maj. Bob Bromage said Tuesday.

The Sheriff’s Office searched the area of Old Sheldon Church and Prescott roads for two hours but ended the search about 2 p.m., Bromage said.

The woman’s purse was stolen during the robbery, a press release says.

The site is home to the remains of one of the nation’s oldest churches of its architectural form and a well known location for photography in South Carolina.

Parish Church of St. Helena in Beaufort, caretakers of the ruins dating from the 18th century, recently installed a 5-foot fence around it after multiple crimes such as bricks were stolen from the site.

This story was originally published July 9, 2019 at 2:04 PM.