Trinity Church (Manhattan) 5.02

Trinity Church is an historic, active, well-endowed parish church in the Episcopal Diocese of New York. It is located near the intersection of Wall Street and Broadway, in the lower Manhattan section of New York City, New York. Trinity, a traditional High church, is a very active parish around Episcopal Church and the worldwide Anglican Communion in missionary, outreach, and fellowship.History and architectureThe Trinity Church has been significant to New York City’s history for over 300 years. In 1696, Governor Benjamin Fletcher approved the purchase of land in Lower Manhattan by the Church of England community for construction of a new church. The parish received its charter from King William III on May 6, 1697. Its land grant specified an annual rent of 60 bushels of wheat. The first rector was William Vesey (for whom nearby Vesey Street is named), a protege of Increase Mather, who served for 49 years until his death in 1746.First Trinity ChurchThe first Trinity Church building, a modest rectangular structure with a gambrel roof and small porch, was constructed in 1698, on Wall Street, facing the Hudson River. The land on which it was built was formerly a formal garden and then a burial ground. It was built because in 1696, members of the Church of England (Anglicans) protested to obtain a “charter granting the church legal status” in New York City. According to historical records, Captain William Kidd lent the runner and tackle from his ship for hoisting the stones.