Trinity Church, New York

For other uses, see Trinity Church (disambiguation).

Trinity Church, at 74 Trinity Place in New York City, is a historic full service parish church in the Episcopal Diocese of New York. Trinity Church is located at the intersection of Broadway and Wall Street in downtown Manhattan.

History and Architecture

In 1696, Governor Benjamin Fletcher approved the purchase of land in Lower Manhattan by the Anglican community for construction of a new church. The parish received its charter from King William III of England on May 6, 1697. Its land grant specified an annual rent of one peppercorn due to the English crown.

The present day Trinity Church, designed by architect Richard Upjohn, is considered a classic example of Gothic Revival architecture and is designated a National Historic Landmark for its architectural significance and place within the history of New York City. When the church was consecrated on Ascension Day May 1, 1846, its soaring Neo-Gothic spire, surmounted by a gilded cross, dominated the skyline of lower Manhattan. Trinity was a welcoming beacon for ships sailing into New York Harbor.

Though skyscrapers have risen all around it, Trinity Church still stands as a significant statement of spiritual values in the heart of downtown Manhattan and serves as a center for contemplation, worship, and Christian community.

The First Trinity Church

The first Trinity Church was constructed in 1698. According to historical records, the infamous privateer Captain William Kidd lent the runner and tackle from his ship for hoisting the stones.

In 1705, Queen Anne of England increased the parish's land holdings to 215 acres (870,000 m²). In 1709, William Huddleston founded Trinity School as the Charity School of the church, and classes were originally held in the steeple of the church. And in 1754, King's College (now Columbia University) was chartered by King George II of Great Britain and instruction began with eight students in a school building nearby the church.

During the American Revolutionary War the clergy were required to be Loyalists, while the parishioners included some members of the First and Second Continental Congresses.

The church was destroyed in the Great New York City Fire of 1776 following the capture of the city by the British in the Battle of Long Island. The fire that started in the Fighting Cocks Tavern destroyed nearly 500 buildings and houses and left thousands of New Yorkers homeless. Six days later, most of the city's volunteer firemen followed General George Washington north.

In 1784, the Rev. Dr. Samuel Provoost, is appointed Rector of Trinity (1784-1800) and the New York State Legislature ratifies the charter of Trinity Church, deleting the provision that asserted its loyalty to the King of England. Whig patriots are appointed as vestrymen.

In 1787, the Rev. Provoost is consecrated as the first Bishop of the newly formed Diocese of New York.

And in 1789, following his inauguration at Federal Hall, George Washington attends Thanksgiving service, presided over by Bishop Provoost, at St. Paul's Chapel, a chapel of the Parish of Trinity Church. He continues to attend services there until the second Trinity Church was finished in 1790.

The Second Trinity Church

Construction on the second Trinity Church building began in 1788; it was consecrated in 1790. The structure was torn down after being weakened by severe snows during the winter of 1838–39.

In 1843, Trinity Church's expanding parish was divided due to the burgeoning cityscape and to better serve the needs of it's parishoners. The newly formed parish would build Grace Church, to the north on Broadway at 10th street, while original parish would re-build the Trinity Church that stands today. Both Grace and Trinity Churches were completed and consecrated in 1846.

The Trinity Church Cemeteries

There are three burial grounds closely associated with Trinity Church. The first Trinity Churchyard, at Wall Street and Broadway, in which are interred Alexander Hamilton, William Bradford, Robert Fulton, Captain James Lawrence and Albert Gallatin. The second is Trinity Church Cemetery and Mausoleum on Riverside Drive at 155th Street, formerly the location of John James Audubon's estate, in which are interred John James Audubon, Alfred Tennyson Dickens, John Jacob Astor, and Clement Clarke Moore. The third is the Churchyard of St. Paul's Chapel.

Bells

The tower of Trinity Church currently contains 8 bells the heaviest of which weighs 27 cwt. These were cast for the original tower and were hung for ringing in the English change ringing style although it is unlikely they were ever rung in this way in the new tower. They are now sounded by swing chiming by electric motors. A project to install a new ring of 12 bells is now underway with funding from the Dill Faulkes Educational Trust. These will form the first ever ring of 12 installed in a church in the USA. The work is to be carried out by Taylors, Eayre and Smith of Loughborough, England and is expected to be completed by October 2006.

Services

Trinity Church offers a full schedule of prayer and Eucharist services throughout the week and is also available for special occasions such as weddings and baptisms. In addition its historical daily worship, Trinity Church provides Christian fellowship and outreach to the community, the city, the nation and the world.

Trinity Church also has a very rich music program. Their Concerts at One has been providing live professional classical and contempopary music for the Wall Street community since 1969. And the church has a several organized choirs including the Trinity Choir which is featured Sunday mornings on WQXR 96.3 FM in New York City.

Staff

The Rev. Dr. James Herbert Cooper, Rector
- The Rev. Canon Anne Mallonee, Vicar
- The Rev. Dr. Stuart Hoke, Parish Missioner/Staff Chaplain
- The Rev. Canon James G. Callaway
- The Rev. Milton Williams
- Owen Burdick, Organist and Music Director

Trivia

St. Paul's Chapel, part of the Parish of Trinity Church, is the oldest public building in continuous use in New York City.
Trinity Episcopal Church in Fishkill, New York was started in 1756 with the missionary assistance of Trinity Church.
Photo of Trinity Church and the schoolhouse of Trinity School (c. 17??).
At the time of its completion, in 1846, its 281-foot spire and cross was the highest point in New York until being surpassed in 1890 by the New York World Building.
Holy Trinity Church v. United States, 143 U.S. 457 (1892).
On July 9, 1976, the church was visited by Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, and she was presented with a symbolic "back rent" of 279 peppercorns.
Since 1993, Trinity church has been the location which the High School of Economics and Finance holds their senior graduation ceremonies. The school is located on Trinity Place (a few blocks away from the church).
The film National Treasure (2004) had a scene here.
The parish has a large number of realty holdings, including 26 commercial buildings in Lower Manhattan (totaling nearly 6 million sq. ft. in office, retail, and manufacturing space) and 470 acres (1.9 km²) of land on the Housatonic River in West Cornwall, Connecticut.
Trinity Church has started, endowed or aided more than 1,700 churches, schools, hospitals, and other institutions.
Trinity Churchyard Cemetery is the only active cemetery remaining in the borough of Manhattan.

External links

Trinity Church – Official website
The Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine – Motherchurch of the Episcopal Diocese of New York

Resources

National Historic Register Number: 76001252

Trinity Church

Gourt Home::Gourt :: Trinity Church, New York