King's Chapel

King's Chapel
Ajay Suresh from New York, NY, USA · CC BY 2.0 · source
Name	King's Chapel
Caption	King's Chapel in Boston, Massachusetts
Location	Tremont Street, Boston, Massachusetts
Denomination	Unitarian Christian
Previous denomination	Church of England
Founded date	1686
Architect	Peter Harrison
Style	Georgian architecture
Designated	1960
Partof	Freedom Trail

King's Chapel. Established in 1686, it is one of the oldest churches in Boston and the first Anglican church in New England. The congregation was founded under the authority of King James II of England and the current stone building, completed in 1754, is a noted example of Georgian architecture in America. Today, it is an independent Christian church with a Unitarian Christian theology and remains an active congregation and a historic site on the Freedom Trail.

History

The congregation was gathered in 1686 by the royal governor, Sir Edmund Andros, to establish the Church of England in the Puritan-dominated Massachusetts Bay Colony. The first wooden structure was built on town burial land, now the King's Chapel Burying Ground, amid local opposition. Notable early ministers included the Reverend Robert Ratcliffe. Following the American Revolution, the church severed its ties with the Anglican tradition; under the leadership of Reverend James Freeman, it adopted a revised Book of Common Prayer and became the first Unitarian church in America by 1785. The congregation has maintained its historic liturgy and musical traditions while evolving its theology, and it played a role in the founding of the American Unitarian Association.

Architecture

The present granite building was designed by the noted colonial architect Peter Harrison and constructed between 1749 and 1754. It is considered a masterwork of American Georgian architecture, featuring a classical portico with Ionic columns, a heavy stone exterior, and a distinctive lack of a steeple, which was omitted due to financial constraints. The interior is arranged in a colonnaded rectangular plan, with a second-tier gallery supported by classical columns, creating a spacious and elegant auditory. The design was influenced by the work of English architects like James Gibbs and represents a significant departure from the earlier meetinghouse style common in Puritan New England.

Notable features

The interior houses the oldest pulpit in continuous use in the United States, dating to 1717. The church is renowned for its historic organ; the first organ was installed in 1713, and the current instrument, built by C. B. Fisk, Inc., incorporates pipes from the 1756 John Snetzler organ. The box pews, some with original furnishings, were privately owned by prominent families like the Vassalls and the Apthorps. The Paul Revere-founded firm cast the church's bell in 1816, which still rings today, and the Westminster Chimes in the tower were installed in 1912.

Role in American religious history

The church's transition from Anglican to Unitarian in the late 18th century marked a pivotal moment in American religious history, reflecting the broader theological shifts of the Enlightenment and the First Great Awakening. Its revised liturgy, known as the "King's Chapel Prayer Book," eliminated Trinitarian doctrine and became a model for other liberal congregations. Figures like James Freeman and William Ellery Channing, though not a minister here, were central to the development of American Unitarianism. The church has long been associated with social justice advocacy, including early opposition to slavery and support for the abolitionist movement.

Burials and memorials

The adjacent King's Chapel Burying Ground is the oldest cemetery in Boston, containing the graves of many early colonists and notable figures, including John Winthrop, the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and Mary Chilton, a passenger on the Mayflower. Within the church's crypt, several early ministers and prominent individuals are interred. Memorial tablets and wall monuments inside the sanctuary commemorate members of the congregation such as Governor William Shirley and members of the Royal Navy who died in the service of the British Empire.

Category:Churches in Boston Category:Georgian architecture in Massachusetts Category:Freedom Trail Category:Unitarian churches in the United States Category:National Historic Landmarks in Boston