Meetinghouses of Early New England

Appendix B. Chronological Checklist of Meetinghouses in New England and Long Island, 1622–1830

289 A P P E N D I X B Chronological checklist of meetinghouses in New England and Long Island, 1622–1830  Entry date indicates year of the raising of the frame or completion of the exterior covering. Town name in capital letters indicates the meetinghouse is still standing. Roman numerals indicate sequence within a town or parish. A “Separate church” identifies a religious society, usually Congregational or Baptist, formed without legislative, municipal, or parish permission. Dimensions are given in feet. Sinnott types 2, 3, and 4 refer, respectively, to second-period (2), Federal-period (3), and Greek-revival-period (4) structures as outlined in Edmund W. Sinnott’s Meetinghouse and Church in Early New England. 1622 Plymouth, Mass. Fort “fitted . . . for . . . use as a meeting house.” 1630 Charlestown, Mass. John Winthrop’s house used as meetinghouse. “Great House.” 1631 Dorchester, Mass., I. Palisade. Log tradition. Thatched. Loft. Fireplace? “Beating the drum.” 1632 Boston, Mass. I (First Church). Stone, plastered with clay, thatched roof. Cost: £120. Cambridge, Mass., I. Bell. Repaired with “four-square roof” 1649. Lynn, Mass., I. About 20 × 20. Turret 1662. Moved to common 1682. Dismantled 1827. Roxbury, Mass., I. Repaired 1646, 1656. Gallery, plaster, turret “pinakles” 1658. Bell 1660. 1634 Dover, N.H., I. Ipswich, Mass., I. Gallery 1643. Sold for 50s 1647. Salem, Mass., I. 20 × 17, 12 posts. 25-ft. addition to 20 × 45? Gallery, chimney 1639. Watertown, Mass., I. “Bellrope” 1647. Gallery 1649. 290 Appendix B 1635 Concord, Mass., I. Hartford, Conn., I. 40 × 40? Remembered as square. Replaced 1638. Hingham, Mass., I. Private gallery 6ft. wide. Posts and pillars turned. Weymouth, Mass., I. 3 galleries, bell 1667. 1636 Charlestown, Mass., I. Temporary “between the town and the neck.” Scituate, Mass., I. York, Maine, I. 1637 Hampton, N.H., I. Log tradition. Bell. Plymouth, Mass., I. Bell. Sandwich, Mass., I. Thatched roof tradition. 1638 Dedham, Mass., I. 36 × 20, 12 posts. Daubed, thatched; pyramid, bell 1651. Duxbury, Mass., I. Exeter, N.H., I. Hartford, Conn., II. 50×50? Porch with stairs to “Chambers.” Galleries 1644, 1660, 1664. Providence, R.I. (Baptist), I. Roger Williams. Met in homes for 60 years. 1639 Braintree, Mass., I. Charlestown, Mass., II. “Very comely built and large.” Galleries rebuilt 1675. Marblehead, Mass., I. 40 × 20? Gallery 1662, 2nd gallery and bell 1669. Enlarged to 40 × 40, lean-to added 1672. Marshfield, Mass., I. New Haven, Conn., I. 50 × 50. Gallery. Banisters. Rails. Platform. Turrets. Builder: William Andrews. Cost: £500. Rowley, Mass., I. Framed (not log). Repaired 1671. Bell mounted on unattached tower 1673. Southold, L.I., I. Log tradition. Used as jail after 1683, to 1725. 1640 Boston, Mass., II. (First Church, “Old Meeting House”). Clapboards, shingles. Cost:£1,000. Gallery. 2nd gallery 1675? Platform 1699. Fairfield, Conn., I. Hampton, N.H., II. 40×22, 13 posts. Builder: Richard Knight. Bell. West gallery 1649. Portsmouth, N.H. (Anglican), I. Parsonage house and chapel. Salisbury, Mass., I. Bell 1644. Enlarged 12ft. 1652. Saybrook, Conn., I (before 1640). 40 × 30. Stamford, Conn., I. Windsor, Conn., I. Thatched? Drum. Finish carpenter: William Buell. 2-gable roof, “Lanthorn” 1658. Enlarged to 70 × 30? 1641 Milford, Conn., I. 30 × 30. Gallery by 1696. Turret covered with lead 1718. 1642 Gloucester, Mass., I. Bell. 2 galleries 1686. Sudbury, Mass. (First Parish or Wayland), I. 30 × 20, 8 posts. Framed. Builder: John Rutter. Wenham, Mass., I. Rectangular. Plastered 1662. Galleries 1674. Woburn, Mass., I. Chronological Checklist of Meetinghouses 291 1643 Guilford, Conn., I. 24 × 24. Stone, clay mortar. 4-sq. roof, thatched. Gallery. Porch. Newbury, Mass., I. 1644 Branford, Conn., I. Log tradition. Enlarged 1679. Eastham, Mass., I. 20 × 20. Thatched. Ports in the side. Newport, R.I. (Baptist), I. Reading, Mass., I. Log tradition? Rectangular. Galleries 1657. 1645 Dorchester, Mass., II. Daubed 1661. Shutters 1662. Gallery 1645, 1667. Detached bell frame. Moved 1671. Sold 1678. Hempstead, L.I., I. 24 × 24. Scituate, Mass. (Second or South Parish), I. Southampton, L.I., I. Springfield, Mass., I. 40 × 25, 9 posts. Shingled roof. Double studs. 2-turret “watch house.” Builder: Thomas Cooper, J. Burr. 1646 Rehoboth, Mass., I. Enlarged 1659. 1647 Haverhill, Mass., I. 26 × 20. Builder: Thomas Davis. Enlarged 1659. Gallery 1667. Ipswich, Mass., II. Bell. “Sheet” for the turret window. Used as fort. Builder: George Norton. Wethersfield, Conn., I. 50 × 50? Galleries 1683. 1649 Malden, Mass. (Bailey’s Hill), I. 1650 Boston, Mass. (Second Church or North...