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St Peters Church Bermuda
A Top Attraction and Must See
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Located in the historic town of St George, St Peters Church Bermuda is believed to be the oldest continually used Anglican church in the Western hemisphere.
The church was not however the first house of worship to stand on this site.
It replaced a 1612 structure made of wooden posts and palmetto leaves that was destroyed in a storm.
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The present church was extended in 1713 with the tower and wings being added in the 19th century. The oldest part is the area around the triple-tier pulpit.
St Peters Church Bermuda
The first Bermuda Parliament met at the St Peters Church in 1620, making it the 3rd oldest parliament in the world.
With rough-hewn pillars, exposed cedar beams and candlelit chandeliers, the church is stunning in its simplicity. St Peters church Bermuda has many treasures.
Inside St Peters Church Bermuda
Inside you will see the altar from the original structure. It was built in 1615 under the supervision of Bermuda’s first governor, Richard Moore. This is the oldest piece of woodwork in Bermuda.
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The font of St Peters church Bermuda is over 500 years old and was brought to Bermuda by the first settlers.
The late 18th-century bishop's throne is believed to have been salvaged from a shipwreck.
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There's also a fine collection of communion silver from the 1600s in the vestry.
As you walk outside to the churchyard, you can see two graveyards. A walled area to the west of the church was for black slaves. The one on the east was reserved for whites.
You can see graves of prominent Bermudians, including Governor Sir Richard Sharples who was assassinated in 1973. Some of the tombstones in the Graveyard of St. Peters are more than 3 centuries old. You'll find the grave of Midshipman Richard Dale, an American who was the last victim of the War of 1812.
Close to the back entrance of the St Peters Church Bermuda you can also find a 500-year old cedar tree; its branches once bore the church’s bell.
Address of St Peters Church Bermuda: 33 Duke of York Street, St. George's Town.
The church is open daily from 10am-4:30pm; Sunday service at 11:15am; Guide is available from Monday to Saturday.
Admission to St Peters Church Bermuda is free. Donation is accepted.
You can contact the St Peters Church Bermuda at 441/297-2459 for further information.
Visited St Peter's Church in Bermuda?
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