Bruton Church, Williamsburg, Virginia;

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Bruton Cburcb

TOtlltamsburg, tDtrgtnia

Brief Historical Botes

(|U»& T£. (ft. (R. 6oobtoin, (a. (fit.

(Rector of QSruton <C0urc$

# 1903 *

Gift
Author
(Person)

g "

Mi <\

The Jamestown Baptismal Font.

The Silver-Gold^Communion Service,
known as the " queen anne set."

preface

N connection with a larger and more complete
Historical Sketch of Bruton Church this brief
outline with illustrations has been prepared,
at smaller cost, to meet a popular demand.
The author earnestly hopes that the circula-
tion of this and the larger sketch of the His-
tory of the Church will increase the interest of
the public in this ancient building, and win for
the old Church new friends who will aid in its restora-
tion and preservation.

Bruton Rectory,

Williamsburg, Va.

August 14th, 1903.

Hseociattons

LD Bruton Church has well withstood the
/^"\ devastating touch of time. The storms of

many winters have gone over it, the fierce
battles of two great wars have raged near
it, and in it have lain the sick and wounded
of two armies, and yet it stands to-day
just as it stood well nigh two hundred
years ago. The Building is consecrated by
hallowed associations. It is intimately
connected with Virginia's early history.
Through its ancient tower entrance passed
the Court processions of Colonial days, —
the governors with emblazoned emblems, betokening the
authority and majesty of old England's Kings and
Queens; the Council of State, composed of men whose
names will ever live in our nation's history; and the
members of the House of Burgesses, the defenders of
the liberties of the people.

Here, in pew officially assigned, elevated from the
main floor and richly canopied, sat the proud and im-
perious Francis Nicholson, the devoted Edmund Jennings,
the dauntless Spottswood, Drysdale, Gooch, Dinwiddie,
Fauquier, Norborne Berkeley Lord de Botetourt, and
Dunmore.

Here, as Vestrymen, worshipped the Hon. Daniel
Parke; the Hon. John Page, "the immigrant;" Thomas
Ludwell, Secretary of State; Sir John Randolph; Peyton
Randolph, the King's Attorney and Speaker of the House
of Burgesses ; Robert Carter Nicholas, Treasurer of Vir-
ginia ; Major Robert Beverly, Attorney, and Clerk of the
House of Burgesses, and many others whose names ap-
pear in the long list of Vestrymen and upon the pages
of the nation's history.

Hasoriattons

Here once sat the men who first saw the vision of a
great free republic of this Western World, and who, at the
altar of sacrifice, consecrated their lives to the cause of
liberty which they loved — George Wythe, patriot, teach-
er, signer of the Declaration of Independence, was a
vestryman; Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, John Tyler,
and Chief Justice John Marshall, and Edmund Randolph,
worshipped here while students in the College of William
and Mary ; and most of them in after years while serving
the Colony and State. George Mason, Edmund Pendle-
ton, Edmund Randolph, Benjamin Harrison, Bland and
Lee, while members of the House of Burgesses ; Patrick
Henry while a member of the House and Governor of
Virginia (1776), and George Washington, while seeking
to win the heart and hand of the beautiful Martha
Custis.

These, and many others, whose names are deathless,
have passed within these sacred courts and meekly bowed
the knee in supplication to the King of Kings. As we
linger in the silence of the Church, they pass before the
awakened vision of the mind. They sit, as they did of old,
listening to the law of the God of Nations, and to the mes-
sage of liberty in the great Gospel of redemption. The
walls of the cruciform old building seem to echo again
with their voice of prayer and thanksgiving.

Here the youth of the nation that was to be, dreamed
dreams and saw visions which awakened the high and
noble aspirations of their lives ; for here they heard the
Gospel of Liberty, and engaged in the service of devotion
and adoration which rouses the best that is in a man,
and inspires him to live and serve for the Glory of his God
and the good of his fellowman.

Here have ministered faithful servants of the most
high God. The services have been almost continuous.
The College Faculty could always be relied upon to sup-
ply ministerial service, and the City of Williamsburg,
being the seat of the Colonial Government, created a con-

Hssoctationa

stant demand for the services and ministrations of the
Church.

The Church was preserved because it was needed.
Thus the present building has been longer in continuous
use than any other Episcopal Church in America.

Around the Church, side by side with the peers, war-
riors, scholars, and statesmen of the past in their sculp-
tured tombs, beneath many mouldering heaps, "the rude
forefathers of the hamlet sleep." Some to earthly fame
are now unknown, the names of others live, not because
they are engraved in marble, but because they helped to
make the nation's history great.

The Old Church, with its historic associations and
hallowed memories, is to us an inheritance from the past
and a trust for the future. It must be preserved. It must
remain to tell its story of the days that are gone to days
that may yet be. It belongs, in a sense, to the nation
with whose early history it is so intimately associated.
It is doubly dear to us to whom it witnesses of the in-
fluence of our Church over the lives of the Nation-build-
ers, and to whom it speaks of the continuity of our
Church's life and liturgy.

The work of restoration, which has been determined
upon, will be done with reverence and with devotion.
The exterior will be left unchanged, for change here would
mean innovation. The interior, which was changed and
distorted, in view of conditions which no longer exists,
will be restored to its ancient form, and the whole will be
transmitted, under the good providence of God, to pos-
terity as it was planned and builded and used by our
forefathers.

^ JSruton Gburcb •&*»

Brief Historical flotes

N 1632 Middle Plantation (subse-
quently Williamsburg) was "laid out
and paled in." A Parish bearing
this name was created shortly after-
wards.

Zhe Bame of tbe parisb

The name Bruton was doubtless
given to the Parish in honor of
Thomas Ludwell, Esq., who, accord-
ing to the record inscribed on his
tomb-stone at the door of Bruton
Church, was born in Bruton in the
county of Summerset, England, and
departed this life in the year 167S.

£be first Cburcb ftuifting

The first Church Building erected on this site was
completed in 1683 and was dedicated by the Rev. Row-
land Jones, on January 6th, 1684 « being \* epiphany."

£be present Cburcb Building

Subsequent to the removal of the House of Burgesses
from Jamestown to Williamsburg in 1699, the Old

- 2

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p .-,

Interior View, 1840-1S

The Duke of Gloucester Street.

Brief rHatortcal Notes

Church Building was found to be inadequate for the use
of the Parish, and in 1710 a new Church building was
determined upon, which was completed in 1715. The
two transepts were built and paid for by order of the
House of Burgesses. The bricks used in the building were
furnished by Alexander Spottswood and Hon. Edmund
Jennings "at \* rate of 159 per thousand." This building
has never been destroyed by fire, and has been contin-
uously in use longer than any other Episcopal Church in
America.

Gown Clock flMacefc in (Tburcb Steeple

On the 14th day of July, 1840, on motion, it was
Resolved that the Town authorities have permission to
have the Town clock removed to the Church and fixed up
therein.

flDofcern Innovations

In 1840 the interior of the Church was remodeled;
a partition wall was built across the nave, the chancel
was removed from the East end of the Church and built
out from this wall, the old pulpit was removed and the
original form and appearance of the Church destroyed.

Zbc IRestoration

At a meeting of the vestry, of the Church, held Satur-
day, May 23d, 1903, it was unanimously decided to
restore the interior of Old Bruton Church to its original
form. The Vestry determined to associate with them-
selves, in the restoration of the Church an advisory com-
mittee consisting of Rt. Rev. A. M. Randolph, D. D.,
LL. D., the Rev. Dr. Beverly D. Tucker, Diocese Southern
Virginia ; the Rev. J. J. Gravatt, Diocese of Virginia ; the
Rev. Dr. Randolph H. McKim, Diocese of Washington ;

10 Brief fitstorical Notca

the Rev. William R. Huntington, D. D., Diocese of New
York, and Mr. J. Frederick Kernochan, of New York City.

The co-operation of these gentlemen will give assur-
ance to the Church at large that the work of restoration
will be wisely planned and executed. It is estimated that
the proposed restoration will cost about $7,000. It will
be impossible for the present members of Braton Church
to do this work unaided. We feel assured that the
restoration of the Old Church will commend itself to the
Church at large, and to all those who revere the past and
desire to see the monuments of antiquity preserved.

We are anxious to have this work completed before
1907, when the Ter-centenary of the landing at James-
town will be celebrated. This date practically marks the
two-hundredth anniversary of the present building. Con-
tributions made for this purpose will be used for the resto-
ration and preservation of this ancient Temple of our
forefathers.

Communion Silver

The Church has at present three sets of Communion
Silver, which on account of their sacred associations and
antiquity are highly prized and carefully preserved. The
following description of this plate is taken from a book
entitled "Old Plate," published by the Gorham Manufac-
turing Co., New York, 1888, pp. 210-212 :

Zbc Jamestown (Tburcb Service

CHALICE, H 10% in. PATEN, Dia 7 in. One
mark, I <H, oval object below, plain shield.

Inscription on each : JVItxe no* ^dy tbinges with pro-
fane* 6x dono franctsct Momsoti, Hmrigcri* Hrnio Dorn*

f66l« This maker's mark is on the celebrated cup form-
erly belonging to the Blacksmith's Company, London,
1655, and purchased at the Dexter sale for no less a sum
*Francis Morrison was at this time acting Governor of the Colonyv

Brief fiistorical JSotea 11

than £378, and it is also found in a shaped shield on the
copper plate preserved at Goldsmith's Hall 1675-1697.

ALMS BASIN, Dia 9% in. Four marks: 1, Lion pas-
sant; 2, Leopard's Head, crowned; 3, Small Roman a,
London 1739: 4, maker's mark, T. F. (Thomas Farren).
Inscription: for the use of Jamca City parish Church.
This service has been in use in Bruton Church since the
Church at Jamestown was abandoned. (Illustration p.
10.)

Cbrtst Cburcb, Bruton fl>arisb

Two-handled CUP AND COVER, gilt H 3% in. ; Dia.
4*4, in. Four marks: Lion passant; 2, Leopard's Head,
crowned ; 3, black letter small i London 1686; 4, maker's
mark P-F), crown and two ermine spots above, crescent
below, shaped escutcheon, Peeter Harache. This maker's
mark is also to be found on the copper plate preserved at
Goldsmith's Hall.

PATEN, Dia 5% in. Four marks: 1, Lion passant;
2, Leopard's Head, crowned ; 3, small Roman b, London

v,

1737; 4, maker's mark R« 6. (Richard Gurney and Co.)

C
The cup is beautifully chased and embellished with
applique leaves and bears private arms, the Paten is of
less delicate workmanship. (Illustration p. 2.)

Gbe Iking George Service

FLAGON, H 10y2 in. CHALICE, H 10 in. ALMS
BASIN, Dia 10 in. Four marks on Flagon: 1, Lion pas-
sant; 2, Leopard's Head, crowned; 3, Old English capi-
tal L London 1766; 4, maker's mark "C-1% crowned
(Thos. Heming).

On Chalice the maker's mark is wanting, and the
date letter is an old Old English jf|, London 1764, there

LofC.

12 Brief historical JVotes

are no marks on the Alms Basin. All engraved with the
Royal Arms between the initials <5 I I I R, with motto
"fioni soit qui mal y pense."

Plate of the same date and by the same maker is at
Trinity Church, New York. (Illustration p. 12.)

These services of communion silver, when not in use,
are kept in a fire-proof vault in a building of the Eastern
State Hospital.

Zbe font

According to tradition the Font in Bruton Church
was used in the Church at Jamestown, and was brought
from that place when the House of Burgesses was moved
to Williamsburg, in 1699.

Font Stones

In the Calendar of State Papers Vol. I, page 35, there
is the following record relating to the importation of
Font Stones :

"One order more, fame date (Hpril io, 1692), concern-
ing font stones at "CindaU's point, Mr. Robt. Read one,
Capt. Cborp one, & by Capt. Cborp's Information to my
Cinder Sberif, Capt. ffra, Page one, Capt. Barnes Hrcber,
one & y* ye Stone in Brougbton, p'ifb Cburcb is ye fame, &
yt Capt. Page gave bis Receipt for tbem, but to wbome be
Knows not."

The tradition in the Parish is that when the James-
town font was brought to Williamsburg, the one im-
ported in 1692 was given to one of the neighboring
Churches.

Cbe Bell

The bell which has rung out the years for more than
a century and a quarter, has engraved upon it: "The gift

Brief fHstortcal Motes 13

of James Tarpley to Bruton Parish, 1761." There was
a still older bell, which has been referred to, for the vestry,
in 1769, entered an order for their contractor, Benjamin
Powell, to have the "Old Bell and the materials of the old
steeple." The ancient clock still looks down from the
steeple, but for many years it has been unmindful of the
flight of time.

©lb IRccorb Books

The old Parish Register of the Church is still in the
possession of the Vestry. It was found some years ago
in a box of papers where it had doubtless been hid for
safe keeping during the war. During .this time it was
badly mutilated by some person, ignorant of its value.
A large number of pages were torn from the front and
back of the book. It now contains the records of Bap-
tisms from 1739 to May 21st, 1797, and the record of
Deaths from April 13th, 1662, to December 18th, 1761.
Thus it would appear that pages containing the record of
seventy-seven years were torn from the front, and pages
containing the record of deaths for thirty-six years were
torn from the back. The book that remains has been
rebound, and is kept in an iron safe.

The entries in this Old Parish register prior to 1674,
seem to belong to one of the adjacent churches, probably
to the one located in Marston Parish, which was united
with Middlet own Parish in 1674. The Baptismal record
in this book shows with what care the members of the
Church provided spiritual ministration for the children
of their servants. The illustration given on page 14
shows two pages of this ancient record.

As stated in the introduction, the old vestry book of
the Parish was either lost or destroyed during the wars,
or was burned with the house of Revd. John McCabe in
Hampton.

14 Brief FHstorical Notes

tablet IFnsibe the Cburcb

Zbe parfce tablet

Pkare this Marble lyes
ye Rouble Daniel Parke
of ve County of Gssex 6sq. who
was one of bis Majesties' Counsellors
and sometime Secretary of tbe
Collony of Virgia* Re dyed ye 6tb of

Marcb Hnno 1 679.
f)is other felicityes ware crowned by
bis bappy marridg witb Rebbecha
tbe daughter of 6eorge Gvelyn
of tbe County of Surry 6sq. She dyed
tbe 2d of January Hnno 1672 at Long
Ditton in ye County of Surry and

left behind her

a most bopefull
progeny.

Brief Historical Notes 15

tombstone ITnsfoe the Cburcb

Gbe ©rlanfco 3ones tablet

fiere lies in hope of a Blessed Ressurection
the Body of JMi% Orlando lones, 8on of Mr.
Rowland 7ones sometime Minister of
this parish be was born December ye 3ist 1681
and Died 3fune yc 12th 1719 in ye 38th year of bis
Hge. be was twice married bis first <Hife was
Mrs. Martha Macon Daughter of Mr. Gideon
Macon of JSew Kent by whom be left one
Son named Lane & one Daughter named
frances. f)is Second <Hife was Mrs. Mary
3ttilliams daughter of 'jfames Williams
of King & Queen who erected this
Monument to bis Memory.

16 Brief historical Notes

tombstone IFnscrtptfons

flDrs. Bnn Gimson 3ones

Rerc lies all that the grave can claim of
Mrs. Hnn Cimson ^foties
Consort of the
Rev. Servant 3oncs
Born 1 st Sept. 1 787
Married 26 Dec. 1 805
Baptised 3 Mar, 1822
Died 3unc 6, 1 849.

If woman. ever vet did well
If woman ever did cxccll
If woman husband ere adored
If woman ever loved the Lord
If ever faith and f>opc and Love
In fiuman flesh did live and move
If all the graces ere did meet
In her in her they were complete

My Hnn, my all my Hngcl Sdif c
My dearest one my love my life
I cannot sigh or say fare well
for where thou dwellcst I will dwell.

U77-251

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