#65342: The Shrewsbury Parish Church

The original frame church was extensively repaired in 1701 when the vestry asked the court to tax Shrewsbury Parish "according to law for ye Reparations of ye Church." The fact that major repairs were required suggests that the first Shrewsbury church was twenty to thirty years old by this time. By 1703, the congregation had grown sufficiently to require a 20-foot addition to the original structure. The enlarged frame church adequately served the Shrewsbury parishioners until 1721. The second Shrewsbury church, a magnificent brick structure, measured 40 feet by 60 feet, and was as large as any in the colony. The third structure, which still stands today, is more modest than its predecessor, measuring 30 by 45 feet. The cemetery surrounding this 3rd structure dates to 1730. The Shrewsbury churchyard today has a unique distinction of being the final resting place for a veteran of every war fought by the United States of America. These graves have bronze markers denoting the war or wars where they fought.