Trinity Church, on Queen Anne Square in Newport, Rhode Island, is a historic parish church in the

Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island The Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island is a diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, encompassing the state of Rhode Island. It is one of seven New England dioceses that make up Province 1. The former Episcopal seat of the ...

. Founded in 1698, it is the oldest

Episcopal Episcopal may refer to: *Of or relating to a bishop, an overseer in the Christian church *Episcopate, the see of a bishop – a diocese *Episcopal Church (disambiguation), any church with "Episcopal" in its name ** Episcopal Church (United State ...

parish in the state. In the mid 18th century, the church was home to the largest Anglican congregation in New England. The current Georgian building was designed by architect

Richard Munday Richard Munday (c.1685-1739) was a prominent colonial American architect and builder in Newport, Rhode Island. Munday built several notable public buildings in Newport between 1720 and 1739 helping to modernize the city. Christopher Wren's ch ...

and constructed in 1725–26. It one of the largest extant 18th century New England churches and has been designated a National Historic Landmark since 1968.

History

The Newport, Rhode Island congregation began to gather about 1698. When Richard Coote, 1st Earl of Bellomont was investigating charges of the

infraction A summary offence or petty offence is a violation in some common law jurisdictions that can be proceeded against summarily, without the right to a jury trial and/or indictment (required for an indictable offence). Canada In Canada, summary offen ...

s of the Navigation Acts in Rhode Island, he requested that the

Board of Trade The Board of Trade is a British government body concerned with commerce and industry, currently within the Department for International Trade. Its full title is The Lords of the Committee of the Privy Council appointed for the consideration of ...

send a

minister Minister may refer to: * Minister (Christianity), a Christian cleric ** Minister (Catholic Church) * Minister (government), a member of government who heads a ministry (government department) ** Minister without portfolio, a member of government w ...

from England to Rhode Island. The first church structure was built in 1700. The present church building was constructed in 1725–26, designed by local builder

, who based his designs on those that he had seen that Sir Christopher Wren had used in London churches in the late 17th century. The church's design is very similar to that of Old North Church in Boston. Trinity, however, was built entirely of wood. It is believed to be the only church building with its three-tiered wineglass

pulpit A pulpit is a raised stand for preachers in a Christian church. The origin of the word is the Latin ''pulpitum'' (platform or staging). The traditional pulpit is raised well above the surrounding floor for audibility and visibility, access ...

remaining in its original position in the center of the aisle, in front of the altar. The building was enlarged in 1764, but otherwise retains its original character with box pews. In 1731, Dean

George Berkeley George Berkeley (; 12 March 168514 January 1753) – known as Bishop Berkeley (Bishop of Cloyne of the Anglican Church of Ireland) – was an Anglo-Irish philosopher whose primary achievement was the advancement of a theory he called "immate ...

donated the first

organ Organ may refer to: Biology * Organ (biology), a part of an organism Musical instruments * Organ (music), a family of keyboard musical instruments characterized by sustained tone ** Electronic organ, an electronic keyboard instrument ** Hammond ...

, whose wooden case, decorated with the Crown of England and the mitres of the

archbishop In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdi ...

s of Canterbury and York, survives in place. The first organist was

Charles Theodore Pachelbel Charles Theodore Pachelbel ( baptized Carl Theodorus, also spelled Karl Theodor, on November 24, 1690;Redway, "Charles Theodore Pachelbell, Musical Emigrant", p. 33 buried September 15, 1750) was a German composer, organist and harpsichordist of ...

, son of the famous

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

Baroque The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including t ...

composer

Johann Pachelbel Johann Pachelbel (baptised – buried 9 March 1706; also Bachelbel) was a German composer, organist, and teacher who brought the south German organ schools to their peak. He composed a large body of sacred and secularity, secular music, and h ...

. The church was used as a

garrison A garrison (from the French ''garnison'', itself from the verb ''garnir'', "to equip") is any body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it. The term now often applies to certain facilities that constitute a mil ...

church by the British Army in 1776–1778. Local oral tradition reports that

George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of th ...

attended services there in 1781. The

Chevalier de Ternay Charles-Henri-Louis d'Arsac, chevalier de Ternay (27 January 1723 – 15 December 1780) was a French naval officer. Most active in the Seven Years' War and the War of American Independence, Ternay was the naval commander of a 1762 expedition ...

, the

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admiral who died in December 1780, is buried in the

churchyard In Christian countries a churchyard is a patch of land adjoining or surrounding a church, which is usually owned by the relevant church or local parish itself. In the Scots language and in both Scottish English and Ulster-Scots, this can also ...

. Also interred here is Dr. Sylvester Gardiner, who in 1753 purchased an immense tract of Maine

wilderness Wilderness or wildlands (usually in the plural), are natural environments on Earth that have not been significantly modified by human activity or any nonurbanized land not under extensive agricultural cultivation. The term has traditionally re ...

where he founded what is now the city of

Gardiner Gardiner may refer to: Places Settlements ;Canada * Gardiner, Ontario ;United States * Gardiner, Maine * Gardiner, Montana * Gardiner (town), New York ** Gardiner (CDP), New York * Gardiner, Oregon * Gardiner, Washington * West Gardiner, Maine ...

. Many members of the Vanderbilt family attended the church when summering in Newport. Historical architect,

Norman Isham Norman Morrison Isham (1864–1943) was a prominent architectural historian, author, and professor at Brown University and RISD. He was an ardent preservationist and a pioneer in the study of early American architecture. Biography Norman M ...

, restored several parts of the church in the 1920s. The church has been seen in several films, including '' Amistad,'' '' Moonrise Kingdom'' and '' Evening.'' The burial service for former Rhode Island Senator Claiborne Pell was held at the church in January 2009. The Rev. Canon Timothy Watt became Rector of the Parish in July, 2020.

Notable clergy

* The Rev.

* The Rev. Theodore Dehon * The Rev.

James Honyman James is a common English language surname and given name: *James (name), the typically masculine first name James * James (surname), various people with the last name James James or James City may also refer to: People * King James (disambiguat ...

* The Rev.

Jeremiah Leaming Jeremiah, Modern: , Tiberian: ; el, Ἰερεμίας, Ieremíās; meaning " Yah shall raise" (c. 650 – c. 570 BC), also called Jeremias or the "weeping prophet", was one of the major prophets of the Hebrew Bible. According to Jewish ...

* The Rev. Walter Lowrie * The Rev.

Lauriston L. Scaife Lauriston Livingston Scaife (October 17, 1907 – September 19, 1970) was bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Western New York from 1948 to 1970. Early life and education Scaife was born on October 17, 1907, in Milton, Massachusetts, the son of Rog ...

* The Rev. Dr.

Francis Vinton Francis may refer to: People *Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State and Bishop of Rome *Francis (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters * Francis (surname) Places *Rural M ...

Notable organists

William Selby William Selby (1738–1798) was an American composer, organist and choirmaster. Early life Born in England, Selby was the third known son of Joseph and Mary Selby of London. Beginning at the age of 17, he held several positions in London as org ...

Notable parishioners

* John Jacob Astor VI *

Thomas Breese Thomas Breese (November 4, 1793 – October 11, 1846) was an American naval officer. Best known for his service under Oliver Hazard Perry during the 1813 Battle of Lake Erie, he served in the United States Navy for another 33 years, includ ...

, U.S. Navy chaplain, Battle of Lake Erie * Rear Admiral

Henry E. Eccles Henry Effingham Eccles (born in Bayside, New York, on December 31, 1898 - died May 14, 1986 in Needham, Massachusetts) was a Rear Admiral in the United States Navy and a major figure at the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island from the la ...

Silvester Gardiner Dr. Silvester Gardiner (June 29, 1708 – August 8, 1786) was a physician, pharmaceutical merchant and land developer of Maine. He is known for founding the city of Gardiner. Early years He was born in South Kingstown, Rhode Island, the son of ...

* Rear Admiral

Stephen B. Luce Stephen Bleecker Luce (March 25, 1827 – July 28, 1917) was a U.S. Navy admiral. He was the founder and first president of the Naval War College, between 1884 and 1886. Biography Born in Albany, New York, to Dr. Vinal Luce and Charlotte Bleecke ...

George Champlin Mason, Sr. George Champlin Mason Sr. (1820-1894) was an American architect who built a number of mansions in Newport, Rhode Island, during the Gilded Age. He helped to found the Newport Historical Society as well. Early life and education George Champlin ...

Clement Clarke Moore Clement Clarke Moore (July 15, 1779 – July 10, 1863) was an American writer, scholar and real estate developer. He is best known as author of the Christmas poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas." Moore was Professor of Oriental and Greek Literature ...

* Vice President of the United States

Levi Morton Levi Parsons Morton (May 16, 1824 – May 16, 1920) was the 22nd vice president of the United States from 1889 to 1893. He also served as United States ambassador to France, as a U.S. representative from New York, and as the 31st Governor of Ne ...

* Claiborne Pell * Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry * Commodore Matthew C. Perry * Vice Admiral

William S. Pye Vice Admiral William Satterlee Pye (9 June 1880 – 4 May 1959) was a U.S. Navy officer who served during World War I and World War II, but never saw combat action. His last active-duty appointment was as President of the Naval War College, in ...

* Colonel

Henry Sherburne (colonel) Colonel Henry Sherburne (1748-1824) was an officer in the Continental Army during the American Revolution. He commanded Sherburne's Additional Continental Regiment from 1777 to 1781 and served as the General Treasurer of Rhode Island from 1792 to ...

* Admiral Raymond Spruance *

Gilbert Stuart Gilbert Charles Stuart ( Stewart; December 3, 1755 – July 9, 1828) was an American painter from Rhode Island Colony who is widely considered one of America's foremost portraitists. His best-known work is an unfinished portrait of George Washi ...

George P. Wetmore George Peabody Wetmore (August 2, 1846September 11, 1921) was an American politician who was the 37th Governor of, and a Senator from, Rhode Island. Early life George Peabody Wetmore was born in London, England, during a visit of his parent ...

* Cornelius Vanderbilt II

References

Gallery

File:Trinity Church Newport engraving.jpg, 1886 engraving File:Exterior of Trinity Church, Newport, RI.jpg, 1920 postcard File:Historic American Buildings Survey, Cervin Robinson, Photographer, July 24, 1970 VIEW OF EXTERIOR FROM NORTHWEST. - Trinity Church, 141 Spring Street, Newport, Newport County, RI HABS RI,3-NEWP,17-2.tif, 1970 photo

External links

* * {{Christian History, state=collapsed Episcopal churches in Rhode Island National Historic Landmarks in Rhode Island Churches in Newport, Rhode Island Georgian architecture in Rhode Island Churches completed in 1726 Churches on the National Register of Historic Places in Rhode Island 18th-century Episcopal church buildings Historic American Buildings Survey in Rhode Island 1726 establishments in the Thirteen Colonies National Register of Historic Places in Newport, Rhode Island Individually listed contributing properties to historic districts on the National Register in Rhode Island