Historical Sketch of Bruton Parish Church, Williamsburg, Virginia[1]
Bruton Parish Church bears witness to the continuity of the life of the Church established at Jamestown in 1607. The history of its beginning and early life lies in that period of obscurity occasioned by the destruction and loss of the written records of the Church and the county courts of Virginia. From what remains we learn that in 1632 Middle Plantation (subsequently Williamsburg) was "laid out and paled in" seven miles inland from Jamestown in the original county of James City, and soon thereafter a parish bearing the plantation name was created. In 1644 a parish in James City county, called "Harrop," was established, which, on April 1, 1648, was united with Middle Plantation Parish, forming the parish of Middletown. In 1674 the parish of Marston (established in York county in 1654) and Middletown Parish were united under the name Bruton Parish. Name of the Parish
The source from which the name was derived is suggested by the inscription on the tomb of Sir Thomas Ludwell, which lies at the entrance of the north transept door, which states that he was born "at Bruton, in the county of Summerset, in the Kingdom of England, and departed this life in the year 1678."
- ↑ The more complete history of the Parish from the ancient Vestry Books was published by the author in 1903. This chapter was first written by the author for the Southern Churchman, Oct. 27, 1906, for the series of articles on Colonial Churches and was copyrighted by the Southern Churchman Co. and is used by permission of the Company.
