Jamestown Memorial Church - Jamestown, VA
Posted by: 
Hikenutty
N 37° 12.504 W 076° 46.720
18S E 342167 N 4119473
This is the 6th church built on this site. The first was the first Anglican Church in the New World. The tower is all that remains of the 5th church, built in 1686.
Waymark Code: WM46DV
Location: Virginia, United States
Date Posted: 07/14/2008
Views: 105
This church tower is the only remaining portion of the fifth Jamestown Church built in 1686. It was abandoned in the 1750's and was in ruins by the 1790's. The current memorial church was built atop the foundations of the 1617 and 1639 churches.
The first (and second) Jamestown church was built of wood inside James Fort in 1607. It burned in 1608 and was replaced with a similar structure.
In 1617 it was decided that a brick church should be built and the town built a 50 by 20 foot church on the location where the current (6th) church stands today. The foundation of this structure can be seen beneath glass from the interior of the current church.
In 1639 a larger church was built around the 3rd church. It was another brick church and was incomplete until 1647. This structure was burned down in 1676 during Bacon's Rebellion.
In 1686 a new church was built, using the walls and foundation of the older, charred church. It was used through the 1750's and by the 1790's was in ruins. The church tower is the only 17th century structure still remaining in Jamestown. The current graveyard wall was built using bricks from the remains of the rest of the church.
The tower became a symbol to early American heritage and in the 1890's a preservation group bought the tower and strengthened it, preserving the tower and the churches' foundation. In 1907 the small memorial chapel was built by Society of Colonial Dames of America atop the foundations of the 4th and 5th churches. This is the church building that visitors see today.
The date given below is for the date of the 5th church, whose tower and foundations remain.
Services are no longer held at the location. It exists as a memorial to the early colonists.
Date the Church was built, dedicated or cornerstone laid: 01/01/1686
Age of Church building determined by?: Other reliable source
If denomination of Church is not part of the name, please provide it here: Anglican/Episcopal
Street address of Church:
Historic Jamestown, Colonial Parkway
Jamestown, VA USA
00000
Primary website for Church or Historic Church Building: [Web Link]
Secondary Website for Church or Historic Church Building: [Web Link]
If Church is open to the public, please indicate hours: Not listed
If Church holds a weekly worship service and "all are welcome", please give the day of the week: Not listed
Indicate the time that the primary worship service is held. List only one: Not Listed
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