Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-23
0lo Bruton Darisb.
Historic Church at Williamsburg, Va, to Be Restored
to Ancient Form

son. Bland. Lee, Edmund Pendleton. Carr.
Cary. Nelson. Nicholas. Peyton and ed.
mund Randolph. the Harrisons MERGERS
RACES chief Justice John Marshall and
ctEers distinguished in the state and ma
ton.
In 1910 the interior OF the church was
torn to pieces and distorted. The gover-
nors canopied pew. the corner pulpit and
the hag-stone allies were removed A mar
tition wall was built across the middle OF
the building, and the chancel was removed
from the east wall and was built out from
the wall in the west
The vestry has undertaken to restore thu
church to its ancient condition II is pro.
posed to remove the partition wall and
restore the chancel to its original position
In the east. The fiag-stone aisles will bo
extended through the building The colonial
sovernors SILK canopied pew, and the old
corner and clerks desk will be restored
me plans of the architects also pro.
vlde Tor the restoration of the ancient gal.
ieries In the early days of the church
me kaiiery In the south wing was set aside
Tor the students OF William and Mary Col.
iege The young men were escorted to the
church by one of the masters and the only
door leading to the gallery was locked be.
mind them. The gallery in the north winR
was occupied by the servants of the par
ishionere.
The high back square pews, which were
buiit to encourage reverence rather than
observation. viii also be restored II
these plans are carried out. as they doubt
less will be, with minor changes the resto.
ration will give to the church the appear.
ance and feeling of its ancient past, and
make II perpetual and truthful witness
of the period when old Bruton had reached
the zenith Of its glory
&
'te oh eta -
scenes of history and romance. in one Of
the most interesting cities In Virginia, of.
fers many attractions for the pilgrim and
the visitor is well repaid for the time spent
in visit to this ancient edifce.
Its old chancel-end fronts on the colonial
palace green. the spacious church yard.
with its sculptured tombs and stately monu.
ments, adjoins the home of Chancellor
Wythe, which was occupied by Gen. Wash.
ington while his headquarters were In VII.
iamsburg during the Yorktown campaign,
Standing on the church steps the visitor
sees the fictional home OF Audrey" and
Judge Bassett in the Voice of the
People?" and down through a vista of lin.
dens. the home of Edmund Randolph and
further on the headquarters of the Mari
quis Lafayette, while to the west rise tho
ancient and honored walls of old William
and Mary.
Bruton church still preserves the old
jamestown baptismal font and communion
silver. Another set of communion silver
held by the church bears the royal
arms of King George III, and still another
set, known as the Queen Anne set, was
given to the college of William and Mary
by Lady Gooch, wife of Gov. Gooch, and
was transferred TO the church when no
longer needed or used at the college.
The old prayer book of 1852 was recently
found in Petersburg and returned to the
church by the rector of St Paus. This,
with the old record OF 1862. is still pre-
served.
In the church there are several interest.
ing mural tablets, among them the Parke
tablet. which bears the following inscrips
ton in quaint old English:
Near this Marble Lyes ye Hon'ble Daniel
Parke Of We County Essex, Esq. who was
one of his Mates Counsellers and some
time Secretary of the COLONY Of Virga he
Died We 9th of March Ammo 1879 His
other felicityes were Crowned by his happy
Marridg with Rebbecka the daughter OF
George Evelyn of the county of Surry ESQ
she dyed the ID of January Ammo 1872 at
Long Ditton In ye County OF Surry and left
behind her a most hopeful progeny
In the church yard among host OF other
tombs of special interest is the tomb Of
Mrs. Washingtons two children, Danilo
Park Curtis, aged two years and six
months and Frances Park Curtis, aged
four years.
These objects of interest are being viewed
each year by an increasing number OF
visitors from all over the country.