Grace Church, New York
Encyclopedia
Grace Church is a historic parish
church in the Episcopal Diocese of New York
, located at 800 and 804 Broadway
at the corner of East 10th Street, where Broadway bends to the north, with Grace Church School and the church houses – which are now used by the school – behind it at 86-98 Fourth Avenue between East 10th and 12th Streets, in Manhattan
, New York City
. It is a French Gothic Revival masterpiece designed by James Renwick, Jr.
, his first major commission.
The church, which has been called "one of the city's greatest treasures", is a National Historic Landmark
designated for its architectural significance and place within the history of New York City, and the complex is a New York City landmark, designated in 1966 (church and rectory) and 1977 (church houses).
Fountain, was commissioned as the architect.
The cornerstone for the new church was laid in 1843 and the church was consecrated in 1846. Vestry
minutes from January of that year break down some of the expenses for building a new church – including items ranging from the cost of the workers from Sing Sing
state prison who cut the stone to the cost of the embroidery for the altar cloth. Like Trinity Church
, which was also consecrated in 1846, Grace Church was designed in the Gothic Revival
style
, and despite the wood, plaster scored to look like stone and lathe construction – as opposed to the stone construction of medieval Gothic cathedrals. The church originally had a wooden spire, but under the leadership of the rector at the time, Henry Codman Potter
, it was replaced in 1881 with a marble spire designed by Renwick.
The east window over the high altar created by the English stained glass manufacturer Clayton and Bell
in 1878, dominates the chancel
, and the whole church; a "Te Deum" window, its theme is praise. The figures with their faces raised toward Christ, who is seated at the top center, represent prophets, apostles, martyrs and all the world. Other windows in the church are by Henry Holiday
. The reredos
, with mosaic figures of the evangelists, is made of French and Italian Marble and Caen stone
, and shows the four Gospel writers, Matthew, Mark
, Luke
and John
, flanking the Risen Christ as he gives the great commission, "Go into all the world and make disciples..." This piece, along with the altar, was designed by Renwick and executed by Ellin & Kitson in 1878. The choir furniture was installed in 1903 after the chancel was lengthened an additional fifteen feet in a renovation designed by Heins and La Farge. On the lawn in front of Renwick's Grace House (1880-1881), which connects the sancturary to his Rectory (1846-1847), stands a terra-cotta Roman urn dating from around the time of the Emperor Nero
.
For a full generation after it was built it was the most fashionable church in New York: "For many years Grace has been the centre of fashionable New York", Matthew Hale Smith observed in 1869: "To be married or buried within its walls has been ever considered the height of felicity".
, Grace Church spun off new congregations by building chapels elsewhere in the city. Its first chapel was on Madison Avenue
at East 28th Street, built in 1850. The congregation became the Church of the Incarnation in 1852 and built its own sanctuary, and the chapel, which is no longer extant, was renamed the Church of the Atonement.
Grace's second chapel was located at 132 East 14th Street
between Third
and Fourth Avenues and was built in 1861. This Renwick designed Chapel (later Church) of the Redemption burned down in 1872. The next chapel was built on the same site, designed by Potter & Robinson, and was used as a community center for the indigent residents of the area, providing classes in English and other educational programs geared to the immigrant population. The second chapel is also no longer extant.
Finally, Grace Church built a chapel and hospital at 406 East 14th Street between First Avenue
and Avenue A
, both designed by Barney & Chapman. This was closed in 1943 and sold to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York
, which converted it into the Church of the Immaculate Conception and Clergy Houses
. This complex still exists, and is New York City landmark and on the National Register of Historic Places
.
In 2006, the School became a legal entity separate from the Church, and owns the buildings on Fourth Avenue from #84-96, which includes Clergy House, Memorial House and Neighborhood House. The Church owns #80 (Huntington Close), as well as #100 and 102, two red-brick buildings north of the landmarked church houses.
services throughout the week and is also available for special occasions such as weddings and baptisms. The church has a history of providing social services to its congregants and the surrounding neighborhood: it is thought that the church provided the first day-care center in New York City, located in Renwick's Memorial House on Fourth Avenue. Today, the church provides services including a community outreach program, spiritual education classes for adults, and children and youth services. A shelter for homeless men is located in one of the church's Fourth Avenue buildings.
The church is known for its Choir of Men and Boys, which was established in 1894, and its rich musical program which includes regular organ recitals.
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
church in the Episcopal Diocese of New York
Episcopal Diocese of New York
The Episcopal Diocese of New York is a diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, encompassing the boroughs of Manhattan, the Bronx, and Staten Island in New York City, and the New York state counties of Westchester, Rockland, Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Sullivan, and...
, located at 800 and 804 Broadway
Broadway (New York City)
Broadway is a prominent avenue in New York City, United States, which runs through the full length of the borough of Manhattan and continues northward through the Bronx borough before terminating in Westchester County, New York. It is the oldest north–south main thoroughfare in the city, dating to...
at the corner of East 10th Street, where Broadway bends to the north, with Grace Church School and the church houses – which are now used by the school – behind it at 86-98 Fourth Avenue between East 10th and 12th Streets, in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. It is a French Gothic Revival masterpiece designed by James Renwick, Jr.
James Renwick, Jr.
James Renwick, Jr. , was a prominent American architect in the 19th-century. The Encyclopedia of American Architecture calls him "one of the most successful American architects of his time".-Life and work:Renwick was born into a wealthy and well-educated family...
, his first major commission.
The church, which has been called "one of the city's greatest treasures", is a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
designated for its architectural significance and place within the history of New York City, and the complex is a New York City landmark, designated in 1966 (church and rectory) and 1977 (church houses).
History and architecture
Grace Church was initially organized in 1808 at Broadway and Rector Street. Under rector Thomas House Taylor, who began service at the church in 1834, the decision was made to move the church uptown with the city's expanding population. In 1843, the land on which the church was built was purchased from Henry Brevoort. The 23-year-old architect James Renwick, Jr. – a nephew of Brevoort – whose sole completed work at the time was the Bowling GreenBowling Green (New York City)
Bowling Green is a small public park in Lower Manhattan at the foot of Broadway next to the site of the original Dutch fort of New Amsterdam. Built in 1733, originally including a bowling green, it is the oldest public park in New York City and is surrounded by its original 18th century fence. At...
Fountain, was commissioned as the architect.
The cornerstone for the new church was laid in 1843 and the church was consecrated in 1846. Vestry
Vestry
A vestry is a room in or attached to a church or synagogue in which the vestments, vessels, records, etc., are kept , and in which the clergy and choir robe or don their vestments for divine service....
minutes from January of that year break down some of the expenses for building a new church – including items ranging from the cost of the workers from Sing Sing
Sing Sing
Sing Sing Correctional Facility is a maximum security prison operated by the New York State Department of Correctional Services in the town of Ossining, New York...
state prison who cut the stone to the cost of the embroidery for the altar cloth. Like Trinity Church
Trinity Church, New York
Trinity Church at 79 Broadway, Lower Manhattan, is a historic, active parish church in the Episcopal Diocese of New York...
, which was also consecrated in 1846, Grace Church was designed in the Gothic Revival
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
style
Architectural style
Architectural styles classify architecture in terms of the use of form, techniques, materials, time period, region and other stylistic influences. It overlaps with, and emerges from the study of the evolution and history of architecture...
, and despite the wood, plaster scored to look like stone and lathe construction – as opposed to the stone construction of medieval Gothic cathedrals. The church originally had a wooden spire, but under the leadership of the rector at the time, Henry Codman Potter
Henry Codman Potter
Henry Codman Potter was a bishop of the Episcopal Church of the United States. He was the seventh Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New York.-Life:...
, it was replaced in 1881 with a marble spire designed by Renwick.
The east window over the high altar created by the English stained glass manufacturer Clayton and Bell
Clayton and Bell
Clayton and Bell was one of the most prolific and proficient workshops of English stained glass during the latter half of the 19th century. The partners were John Richard Clayton and Alfred Bell . The company was founded in 1855 and continued until 1993...
in 1878, dominates the chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
, and the whole church; a "Te Deum" window, its theme is praise. The figures with their faces raised toward Christ, who is seated at the top center, represent prophets, apostles, martyrs and all the world. Other windows in the church are by Henry Holiday
Henry Holiday
Henry Holiday was an English historical genre and landscape painter, stained glass designer, illustrator and sculptor. He is considered to be a member of the Pre-Raphaelite school of art.-Early years and training:...
. The reredos
Reredos
thumb|300px|right|An altar and reredos from [[St. Josaphat's Roman Catholic Church|St. Josaphat Catholic Church]] in [[Detroit]], [[Michigan]]. This would be called a [[retable]] in many other languages and countries....
, with mosaic figures of the evangelists, is made of French and Italian Marble and Caen stone
Caen stone
Caen stone or Pierre de Caen, is a light creamy-yellow Jurassic limestone quarried in northwestern France near the city of Caen.The limestone is a fine grained oolitic limestone formed in shallow water lagoons in the Bathonian Age about 167 million years ago...
, and shows the four Gospel writers, Matthew, Mark
Mark the Evangelist
Mark the Evangelist is the traditional author of the Gospel of Mark. He is one of the Seventy Disciples of Christ, and the founder of the Church of Alexandria, one of the original four main sees of Christianity....
, Luke
Luke the Evangelist
Luke the Evangelist was an Early Christian writer whom Church Fathers such as Jerome and Eusebius said was the author of the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles...
and John
John the Evangelist
Saint John the Evangelist is the conventional name for the author of the Gospel of John...
, flanking the Risen Christ as he gives the great commission, "Go into all the world and make disciples..." This piece, along with the altar, was designed by Renwick and executed by Ellin & Kitson in 1878. The choir furniture was installed in 1903 after the chancel was lengthened an additional fifteen feet in a renovation designed by Heins and La Farge. On the lawn in front of Renwick's Grace House (1880-1881), which connects the sancturary to his Rectory (1846-1847), stands a terra-cotta Roman urn dating from around the time of the Emperor Nero
Nero
Nero , was Roman Emperor from 54 to 68, and the last in the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Nero was adopted by his great-uncle Claudius to become his heir and successor, and succeeded to the throne in 54 following Claudius' death....
.
For a full generation after it was built it was the most fashionable church in New York: "For many years Grace has been the centre of fashionable New York", Matthew Hale Smith observed in 1869: "To be married or buried within its walls has been ever considered the height of felicity".
| Date | Building or action | Architect |
|---|---|---|
| 1843-1846 | sanctuary (800 Broadway) | James Renwick, Jr. James Renwick, Jr. James Renwick, Jr. , was a prominent American architect in the 19th-century. The Encyclopedia of American Architecture calls him "one of the most successful American architects of his time".-Life and work:Renwick was born into a wealthy and well-educated family... |
| 1846-1847 | rectory (804 Broadway) | James Renwick, Jr. |
| 1878-1879 | chantry | Edward T. Potter |
| 1880-1881 | Grace House (802 Broadway) | James Renwick, Jr. |
| 1881 | front garden | Vaux & Co. Calvert Vaux Calvert Vaux , was an architect and landscape designer. He is best remembered as the co-designer , of New York's Central Park.... |
| 1881-1882 | Memorial House (92-96 Fourth Avenue) | James Renwick, Jr. |
| 1883 | replacement of wooden spire with marble spire | James Renwick, Jr. |
| 1902-1903 | Clergy House (90 Fourth Avenue) | Heins & LaFarge Heins & LaFarge The New York-based architectural firm of Heins & LaFarge, composed of Philadelphia-born architect George Lewis Heins and Christopher Grant LaFarge - the eldest son of the artist John LaFarge, famous especially for his stained glass panels - were responsible most notably for the original... |
| 1903 | extension of chancel | Heins & LaFarge |
| 1906-1907 | Neighborhood House (98 Fourth Avenue) | Renwick, Aspinwall & Tucker |
| 1910 | additions to chantry | William W. Renwick |
| 1975-1976 | addition to rear of church houses for school | |
| 2003 | straighten lean in spire | Walter B. Melvin Architects |
Chapels
Like Trinity and the First Presbyterian ChurchFirst Presbyterian Church (Manhattan)
The First Presbyterian Church, known as "Old First", located at 48 Fifth Avenue between West 11th and 12th Streets in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City was built in 1844-6, and designed by Joseph C. Wells in the Gothic Revival style. The south transept of the building...
, Grace Church spun off new congregations by building chapels elsewhere in the city. Its first chapel was on Madison Avenue
Madison Avenue (Manhattan)
Madison Avenue is a north-south avenue in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, United States, that carries northbound one-way traffic. It runs from Madison Square to the Madison Avenue Bridge at 138th Street. In doing so, it passes through Midtown, the Upper East Side , Spanish Harlem, and...
at East 28th Street, built in 1850. The congregation became the Church of the Incarnation in 1852 and built its own sanctuary, and the chapel, which is no longer extant, was renamed the Church of the Atonement.
Grace's second chapel was located at 132 East 14th Street
14th Street (Manhattan)
14th Street is a major crosstown street in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The street rivals the size of some of the well-known avenues of the city and is an important business location....
between Third
Third Avenue (Manhattan)
Third Avenue is a north-south thoroughfare on the East Side of the New York City borough of Manhattan, running from Cooper Square north for over 120 blocks. Third Avenue continues into The Bronx across the Harlem River over the Third Avenue Bridge north of East 129th Street to East Fordham Road at...
and Fourth Avenues and was built in 1861. This Renwick designed Chapel (later Church) of the Redemption burned down in 1872. The next chapel was built on the same site, designed by Potter & Robinson, and was used as a community center for the indigent residents of the area, providing classes in English and other educational programs geared to the immigrant population. The second chapel is also no longer extant.
Finally, Grace Church built a chapel and hospital at 406 East 14th Street between First Avenue
First Avenue (Manhattan)
First Avenue is a north-south thoroughfare on the East Side of the New York City borough of Manhattan, running from Houston Street northbound for over 125 blocks before terminating at the Willis Avenue Bridge into The Bronx at the Harlem River near East 127th Street. South of Houston Street, the...
and Avenue A
Avenue A (Manhattan)
Avenue A runs from north to south and is the westernmost of the avenues to be defined by letters instead of using the numbering system in the New York City borough of Manhattan. Avenue A runs from Houston Street to 14th Street, where it continues into a loop road in Stuyvesant Town, connecting to...
, both designed by Barney & Chapman. This was closed in 1943 and sold to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York covers New York, Bronx, and Richmond counties in New York City , as well as Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster, and Westchester counties in New York state. There are 480 parishes...
, which converted it into the Church of the Immaculate Conception and Clergy Houses
Church of the Immaculate Conception and Clergy Houses
The Church of the Immaculate Conception and Clergy House at 406-412 East 14th Street between First Avenue and Avenue A in the East Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City were built in 1894-96 by Grace Church, one of the most prominent Episcopal churches in the city at the time...
. This complex still exists, and is New York City landmark and on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
Grace Church School
Grace Church School, which is now located at 86 Fourth Avenue, and also occupies the church houses to the north of it in the complex, was organized in 1894, and was the first place where choir boys could receive formal training for their duties. The day school began in 1934, and the school now offers complete secondary education for boys and girls from pre-K to eighth grade.In 2006, the School became a legal entity separate from the Church, and owns the buildings on Fourth Avenue from #84-96, which includes Clergy House, Memorial House and Neighborhood House. The Church owns #80 (Huntington Close), as well as #100 and 102, two red-brick buildings north of the landmarked church houses.
Notable rectors
- Jonathan Mayhew Wainwright (third rector) - promoted mission churches throughout New York state and elsewhere in the U.S., established a Charity School for Girls and one for Boys, both in 1823
- Thomas House Taylor (fourth rector) - moved the church uptown to its current location
- Henry Codman PotterHenry Codman PotterHenry Codman Potter was a bishop of the Episcopal Church of the United States. He was the seventh Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New York.-Life:...
(fifth rector) - promoted the Social Gospel, expanding the church's outreach to the poor and the immigrant community As the Bishop of New York, Potter began the long process of building the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. - William Reed HuntingtonWilliam Reed HuntingtonWilliam Reed Huntington was an American Episcopal priest and author.-Life:Huntington was born in Lowell, Mass. He graduated at Harvard in 1859 and in 1859–1860 was an instructor in chemistry there. Entering the Episcopal ministry, he was rector of All Saints Church, Worcester, Massachusetts, in...
(sixth rector) - known as "the First Presbyter of the Episcopal Church", promulgated the Chicago-Lambeth QuadrilateralChicago-Lambeth QuadrilateralThe Chicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral, frequently referred to as the Lambeth Quadrilateral or the Lambeth-Chicago Quadrilateral, is a four-point articulation of Anglican identity, often cited as encapsulating the fundamentals of the Communion's doctrine and as a reference-point for ecumenical...
and worked on revising the Book of Common PrayerBook of Common PrayerThe Book of Common Prayer is the short title of a number of related prayer books used in the Anglican Communion, as well as by the Continuing Anglican, "Anglican realignment" and other Anglican churches. The original book, published in 1549 , in the reign of Edward VI, was a product of the English...
, expanded the church complex and continued the Social Gospel with the Chapel and Hospital on 14th Street.
Services and programs
Grace Church offers a full schedule of prayer and EucharistEucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
services throughout the week and is also available for special occasions such as weddings and baptisms. The church has a history of providing social services to its congregants and the surrounding neighborhood: it is thought that the church provided the first day-care center in New York City, located in Renwick's Memorial House on Fourth Avenue. Today, the church provides services including a community outreach program, spiritual education classes for adults, and children and youth services. A shelter for homeless men is located in one of the church's Fourth Avenue buildings.
The church is known for its Choir of Men and Boys, which was established in 1894, and its rich musical program which includes regular organ recitals.
Clergy
- The Reverend J. Donald Waring, RectorRectorThe word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
- The Reverend Linda Bartholomew, Associate Rector
- The Reverend Ted Pardoe, Assistant Rector
- Dr. Patrick Allen, Organist and Master of Choristers
- Maura Hooper, Youth and Children
See also
- List of National Historic Landmarks in New York City
- Oak Hill Cemetery Chapel (Washington, D.C.)Oak Hill Cemetery Chapel (Washington, D.C.)The Oak Hill Cemetery Chapel, also known as the Renwick Chapel or James Renwick Chapel, is a historic building in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C., United States. Designed by James Renwick, Jr. in 1850, Oak Hill Cemetery Chapel is the architect's only known example of Gothic Revival...
, Gothic Revival chapel designed by Renwick
External links
- Grace Church – Official website
- Episcopal Diocese of New York – Official website
- National Register of Historic Buildings Number: 74001270
- MuseumPlanet narrated slide tour