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St. Mary's Episcopal Church, Burlington, New Jersey facts for kids

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New St. Mary's Episcopal Church
U.S. Historic district
Contributing property
BurlingtonNJ NewStMarysChurch 02.jpg
New St. Mary's Church
St. Mary's Episcopal Church, Burlington, New Jersey is located in Burlington County, New Jersey
St. Mary's Episcopal Church, Burlington, New Jersey
Location in Burlington County, New Jersey
St. Mary's Episcopal Church, Burlington, New Jersey is located in New Jersey
St. Mary's Episcopal Church, Burlington, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
St. Mary's Episcopal Church, Burlington, New Jersey is located in the United States
St. Mary's Episcopal Church, Burlington, New Jersey
Location in the United States
Location 145 West Broad Street
Burlington, New Jersey
Area 6.2 acres (2.5 ha)
Built 1846-1854
Architect Richard Upjohn et al.
Architectural style Gothic Revival
Part of Burlington Historic District (ID75001124)
NRHP reference No. 72000770
Quick facts for kids
Significant dates
Added to NRHP May 31, 1972
Designated NHL June 24, 1986
Designated CP March 13, 1975

St. Mary's Episcopal Church is a very old and important church in Burlington, New Jersey. It's part of the Episcopal faith. The first church building was built way back in 1703. Later, a new, bigger church was built right next to it in 1854.

This new church is so special that it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. Then, in 1986, it was named a National Historic Landmark. This means it's one of the most important historical places in the whole country! It's also found within the Burlington Historic District.

The First Church: A Historic Beginning

In 1695, early settlers bought land in Burlington for a cemetery. A few years later, in 1702, missionaries from England came to New Jersey. One of them, John Talbot, became the leader of St. Mary's Church in 1705. The first church building was finished in 1703.

This church is very important because it was the first and oldest Episcopal church group in all of New Jersey. As more people joined the church, they needed a larger space. So, they decided to build a brand new church.

They asked a famous architect named Richard Upjohn to design it. Construction on the new church began in 1846. It was built on land right next to the old church. The new building was officially opened in 1854.

The New Church: A Grand Design

The New St. Mary's Church was built between 1846 and 1854. It was one of the first churches in the United States to copy a specific old English church style. This style is called Gothic Revival.

The architect, Richard Upjohn, based his design on St. John's Church in Shottesbrooke, England. This project helped make Upjohn very well-known for his Gothic designs. The church is made of large brown stones. It has a very long main hall called a nave.

Above the center of the church is a tall stone spire. Inside the spire are eight bells. These bells were made in England in 1865 by Thomas Mears II. They came from a famous bell factory called the Whitechapel Bell Foundry. Because of its history and design, the church is a National Historic Landmark.

A Fire and Rebuilding

In 1976, something unexpected happened. Workers were fixing up the church when a mistake caused a fire. This fire happened on April 15, 1976, which was Holy Thursday.

The fire caused a lot of damage to the roof and the inside of the church. Many firefighters came to help. They came from Burlington City, Burlington Township, Beverly-Edgewater Park, and Willingboro in New Jersey. Firefighters from Bristol, Pennsylvania, also crossed the bridge to assist. Luckily, the church was later repaired.

Gallery

Important People Buried Here

Many important people from history are buried at St. Mary's Episcopal Church. Here are a few of them:

See also

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