St. James Episcopal Church (New London, Connecticut)
Encyclopedia
St. James Episcopal Church at 76 Federal St, New London, Connecticut
is a historic church in the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut
.
An interesting anecdote from this time is that an arrow was shot into the gilt wooden ball at the top of the steeple by the chief of a visiting Native American
delegation. The arrow hung there until the church's destruction in 1781. During the American Revolution
, a number of the Parish members were loyalists
. Services stopped between mid-1775 and the fall of 1778 since tensions were apparently high regarding the use of prayers for the King and Royal Family, and in 1778, the Parish voted that no person be permitted to...act as a pastor...unless he openly prays for Congress.... The church was destroyed by a fire set in New London on September 6, 1781 during the Battle of Groton Heights
. British forces in New London during that engagement were under the command of Brigadier General Benedict Arnold
, a native of nearby Norwich, Connecticut
.
After his consecration in Aberdeen
Scotland on November 14, 1784, as the first bishop of the Episcopal Church (United States)
, Bishop Seabury returned to New London in 1785 as rector of St. James. He died in New London on February 25, 1796, and is now buried in Hallam Chapel located in the undercroft
of St. James. A cenotaph
designed by architect Richard Upjohn
is located on the north side of the sanctuary
, and his original grave slab is located outdoors on the north side of the church, now covered by a duplicate.
in the Gothic Revival
style. The cornerstone was laid November 3, 1847, and the church was consecrated on June 11, 1850. It was built in a cruciform style with north and south transepts. There is a very prominent bell tower on the northwest corner.
St. James is an excellent example of Upjohn's architectural style. It is notable that St. James was started the year after Upjohn completed Trinity Church (Manhattan). The New York Ecclesiological Society criticized Upjohn for the "moorish" design of the roof bracing in St. James, however, it was well received locally.
houses built between 1835 and 1845 known as Whale Oil Row
. This row of buildings is unique in Connecticut, and possibly the United States, and documents the lifestyle of their wealthy owners who worked in the whaling industry of that time.
style windows remain.
and commemorates two friends who died during World War I. Nineteen year old Jack Morris Wright was killed while flying in France January 24, 1918. His friend, Richard Mansfield 2nd, also nineteen, enlisted after hearing of Jack's death, and died in an Army training camp a little over three months later on April 3, 1918. Richard was the son of famed actors Richard and Beatrice Mansfield
. The window depicts the Archangel Michael unsheathing his sword behind two aviators. The lower window is inscribed with a quote from Isaiah 40.31: "They shall mount up with wings as eagles."
Jack Morris Wright's letters from France were published by his mother in "Poet of the Air". In Jack's letter to Richard on September 17, 1917, he said: Therefore, in urging you, I also am warning you; but once in the game, you'll find that usually death serves as a stimulant to the vitality of life and daring of flying.
, and Moray
that provided Seabury's consecrator
s. Medallions picture Seabury's election at Glebe House in Woodbury, CT; his consecration as Bishop by Scottish Bishops Robert Kilgour
, John Skinner
and Arthur Petrie
in Aberdeen
, Scotland, his first confirmation, a typical sailing vessel of the time, and the second St. James Church, in which he served as rector.
Organ, Opus 220, made in 1913. It was donated to the Parish by philanthropist and railroad magnate, Commodore Morton Plant, son of Henry B. Plant
, in memory of his wife Nellie. The instrument has 43 ranks of pipes with four divisions and pedals, and contains 2680 pipes. Major tonal changes were made in 1952 and it was reconditioned in 2002. The modern console is mobile and is placed at the center of the choir
for organ concerts. Silent film
showings featuring live accompaniment on this organ are an annual event at St. James.
St. James' music program is one of its core ministries. Artists in residence include The Anglican Singers and the Eastern Connecticut Children's Choir.
St. James has a companion Parish relationship with St. Margaret's of Scotland, Aberdeen in the Diocese of Aberdeen and Orkney
.
New London, Connecticut
New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States.It is located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, southeastern Connecticut....
is a historic church in the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut
Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut
The Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut is a diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, encompassing the entire state of Connecticut. It is one of the nine original dioceses of the Episcopal Church and one of seven New England dioceses that make up Province 1.Its first bishop,...
.
First St. James Church
St. James was formed on June 6, 1725, and the first building, a wooden structure located on New London's Parade, was opened in 1732.An interesting anecdote from this time is that an arrow was shot into the gilt wooden ball at the top of the steeple by the chief of a visiting Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
delegation. The arrow hung there until the church's destruction in 1781. During the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
, a number of the Parish members were loyalists
Loyalist (American Revolution)
Loyalists were American colonists who remained loyal to the Kingdom of Great Britain during the American Revolutionary War. At the time they were often called Tories, Royalists, or King's Men. They were opposed by the Patriots, those who supported the revolution...
. Services stopped between mid-1775 and the fall of 1778 since tensions were apparently high regarding the use of prayers for the King and Royal Family, and in 1778, the Parish voted that no person be permitted to...act as a pastor...unless he openly prays for Congress.... The church was destroyed by a fire set in New London on September 6, 1781 during the Battle of Groton Heights
Battle of Groton Heights
The Battle of Groton Heights was a battle of the American Revolutionary War fought on September 6, 1781 between a small Connecticut militia force led by Lieutenant Colonel William Ledyard and the more numerous British forces led by Brigadier General Benedict Arnold and Lieutenant...
. British forces in New London during that engagement were under the command of Brigadier General Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold V was a general during the American Revolutionary War. He began the war in the Continental Army but later defected to the British Army. While a general on the American side, he obtained command of the fort at West Point, New York, and plotted to surrender it to the British forces...
, a native of nearby Norwich, Connecticut
Norwich, Connecticut
Regular steamship service between New York and Boston helped Norwich to prosper as a shipping center through the early part of the 20th century. During the Civil War, Norwich once again rallied and saw the growth of its textile, armaments, and specialty item manufacturing...
.
Samuel Seabury (1729–1796)
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
Scotland on November 14, 1784, as the first bishop of the Episcopal Church (United States)
Episcopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
, Bishop Seabury returned to New London in 1785 as rector of St. James. He died in New London on February 25, 1796, and is now buried in Hallam Chapel located in the undercroft
Undercroft
An undercroft is traditionally a cellar or storage room, often brick-lined and vaulted, and used for storage in buildings since medieval times. In modern usage, an undercroft is generally a ground area which is relatively open to the sides, but covered by the building above.- History :While some...
of St. James. A cenotaph
Cenotaph
A cenotaph is an "empty tomb" or a monument erected in honour of a person or group of people whose remains are elsewhere. It can also be the initial tomb for a person who has since been interred elsewhere. The word derives from the Greek κενοτάφιον = kenotaphion...
designed by architect Richard Upjohn
Richard Upjohn
Richard Upjohn was an English-born architect who emigrated to the United States and became most famous for his Gothic Revival churches. He was partially responsible for launching the movement to such popularity in the United States. Upjohn also did extensive work in and helped to popularize the...
is located on the north side of the sanctuary
Sanctuary
A sanctuary is any place of safety. They may be categorized into human and non-human .- Religious sanctuary :A religious sanctuary can be a sacred place , or a consecrated area of a church or temple around its tabernacle or altar.- Sanctuary as a sacred place :#Sanctuary as a sacred place:#:In...
, and his original grave slab is located outdoors on the north side of the church, now covered by a duplicate.
Second St. James Church
A new church was consecrated on September 20, 1787, near the current site of the Salvation Army building in New London. This was the building that served Bishop Seabury. As the Parish began to grow during the mid-1800s, it was clear that a larger building was needed.Third St. James Church
This building was designed by English-born architect Richard UpjohnRichard Upjohn
Richard Upjohn was an English-born architect who emigrated to the United States and became most famous for his Gothic Revival churches. He was partially responsible for launching the movement to such popularity in the United States. Upjohn also did extensive work in and helped to popularize the...
in the Gothic Revival
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
style. The cornerstone was laid November 3, 1847, and the church was consecrated on June 11, 1850. It was built in a cruciform style with north and south transepts. There is a very prominent bell tower on the northwest corner.
St. James is an excellent example of Upjohn's architectural style. It is notable that St. James was started the year after Upjohn completed Trinity Church (Manhattan). The New York Ecclesiological Society criticized Upjohn for the "moorish" design of the roof bracing in St. James, however, it was well received locally.
Rectory
The rectory is located on Huntington St. in one of four Greek RevivalGreek Revival architecture
The Greek Revival was an architectural movement of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, predominantly in Northern Europe and the United States. A product of Hellenism, it may be looked upon as the last phase in the development of Neoclassical architecture...
houses built between 1835 and 1845 known as Whale Oil Row
Whale Oil Row
Whale Oil Row is a historic site at 105-119 Huntington Street in New London, Connecticut.The Greek Revival row was built in 1835. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970....
. This row of buildings is unique in Connecticut, and possibly the United States, and documents the lifestyle of their wealthy owners who worked in the whaling industry of that time.
Henry E. Sharp Windows
The original stained glass windows (including the Altar window) were installed in 1850 and are believed to have been designed by the Henry E. Sharp Studio in New York. Many of them have been replaced over the years, but several grisailleGrisaille
Grisaille is a term for painting executed entirely in monochrome or near-monochrome, usually in shades of grey. It is particularly used in large decorative schemes in imitation of sculpture. Many grisailles in fact include a slightly wider colour range, like the Andrea del Sarto fresco...
style windows remain.
Lewis Comfort Tiffany Windows
Starting in 1910, six of the original windows were replaced with memorial windows made by Tiffany Studio in New York. The large Tiffany windows in the north and south transepts are magnificent examples of the art form. The south transept window depicts three saints; Sebastian, Joseph (holding the infant Jesus), and Francis. It commemorates three members of the Lawrence family: father Joseph and his two sons, Francis and Sabastian. The north transept window shows the Holy Family and was donated in memory of Lyman Allyn. The wealth that made these and the other Tiffany windows possible was derived largely from the whaling trade.J&R Lamb Studios Window
The Mansfield Memorial Window was installed in 1922 by J&R Lamb StudiosJ&R Lamb Studios
J&R Lamb Studios, America's oldest continuously-run decorative arts company, is famous as a stained glass maker, preceding the studios of both John LaFarge and Louis C. Tiffany..- History :...
and commemorates two friends who died during World War I. Nineteen year old Jack Morris Wright was killed while flying in France January 24, 1918. His friend, Richard Mansfield 2nd, also nineteen, enlisted after hearing of Jack's death, and died in an Army training camp a little over three months later on April 3, 1918. Richard was the son of famed actors Richard and Beatrice Mansfield
Richard Mansfield
Richard Mansfield was an English actor-manager best known for his performances in Shakespeare plays, Gilbert and Sullivan operas and for his portrayal of the dual title roles in Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde....
. The window depicts the Archangel Michael unsheathing his sword behind two aviators. The lower window is inscribed with a quote from Isaiah 40.31: "They shall mount up with wings as eagles."
Jack Morris Wright's letters from France were published by his mother in "Poet of the Air". In Jack's letter to Richard on September 17, 1917, he said: Therefore, in urging you, I also am warning you; but once in the game, you'll find that usually death serves as a stimulant to the vitality of life and daring of flying.
Bishop Seabury Window
Installed in 1962, this window depicts scenes from the life of the Rt. Rev. Samuel Seabury. The top panel contains seals of the Episcopal Church, the Diocese of Connecticut, and the two Scottish Diocese of AberdeenDiocese of Aberdeen and Orkney
The Diocese of Aberdeen and Orkney is one of the seven dioceses of the Scottish Episcopal Church. In mainland Scotland, the diocese covers the City of Aberdeen and most of Aberdeenshire...
, and Moray
Diocese of Moray
The Diocese of Moray was one of the most important of the medieval dioceses in Scotland. It was founded in the early years of the 12th century by David I of Scotland under its first bishop, Gregoir...
that provided Seabury's consecrator
Consecrator
Consecrator is a term used in the Roman Catholic Church to designate a bishop who ordains a priest to the episcopal state. The term is often used in Eastern Rite Churches and in Anglican communities. The term "Principal Consecrator" is used to designate the primary bishop who ordains a new bishop...
s. Medallions picture Seabury's election at Glebe House in Woodbury, CT; his consecration as Bishop by Scottish Bishops Robert Kilgour
Robert Kilgour
Robert Kilgour was the 39th bishop of the Diocese of Aberdeen of the Scottish Episcopal Church from 1778 to 1788. He was baptised 15 March 1714 in Cruden and later became one of the three bishops to consecrate Samuel Seabury, an American Episcopal priest as a bishop in 1784. He was succeeded by...
, John Skinner
John Skinner (bishop)
John Skinner was the son of John Skinner and a bishop of the Diocese of Aberdeen and Orkney of the Scottish Episcopal Church in the late 18th century. Made coadjutor of Aberdeen on 25 September 1782, Skinner was one of the three bishops to consecrate Samuel Seabury, an American Episcopal priest...
and Arthur Petrie
Arthur Petrie
Arthur Petrie was the 37th bishop of the Diocese of Ross and Moray of the Scottish Episcopal Church. He was one of the three bishops to consecrate Samuel Seabury, an American Episcopal priest as a bishop in 1784....
in Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
, Scotland, his first confirmation, a typical sailing vessel of the time, and the second St. James Church, in which he served as rector.
Organ
The church has an Ernest M. SkinnerErnest M. Skinner
Ernest M. Skinner was one of the most successful American organ builders of the early 20th century.-Early years:...
Organ, Opus 220, made in 1913. It was donated to the Parish by philanthropist and railroad magnate, Commodore Morton Plant, son of Henry B. Plant
Henry B. Plant
Henry Bradley Plant , was involved with many transportation projects, mostly railroads, in the U.S. state of Florida. Eventually he owned the Plant System of railroads which became part of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad...
, in memory of his wife Nellie. The instrument has 43 ranks of pipes with four divisions and pedals, and contains 2680 pipes. Major tonal changes were made in 1952 and it was reconditioned in 2002. The modern console is mobile and is placed at the center of the choir
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
for organ concerts. Silent film
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
showings featuring live accompaniment on this organ are an annual event at St. James.
Mission and Services
St. James is called to serve God, Christ, and the community of greater New London. Prayer and Eucharist services are offered throughout the week and pastoral services are available for occasions such as weddings and baptisms. Additionally, St. James provides Christian fellowship and outreach to its urban community, including a homeless shelter, a free community meal in rotation with other local churches, and The Jumble Shoppe which offers low cost clothing and household goods to its neighbors.St. James' music program is one of its core ministries. Artists in residence include The Anglican Singers and the Eastern Connecticut Children's Choir.
St. James has a companion Parish relationship with St. Margaret's of Scotland, Aberdeen in the Diocese of Aberdeen and Orkney
Diocese of Aberdeen and Orkney
The Diocese of Aberdeen and Orkney is one of the seven dioceses of the Scottish Episcopal Church. In mainland Scotland, the diocese covers the City of Aberdeen and most of Aberdeenshire...
.
External links
- National Register of Historic Places listings in New London County, Connecticut
- The Anglican Singers, Artists in residence