May 2011 NY Trinity Church

We reached Trinity Church and its a lovely little thing. This church has seen and even made a ton of history in this town.

The first rector of this church was William Vesey, after whom Vesey Street, next to the 9/11 site, is named. This is the third church building on this site and dates back about 160 odd years, made in 1846.



The roof has these amazing looking carvings.

They look like little heads.

Warm tall windows.



With trees shading the graveyard.

Welcoming us.

We are now turning the corner and see this little sign. The sign is for a sycamore tree, which was standing in the courtyard for decades, almost a century but was then destroyed when the WTC came down in 9/11. More on this later.

There is the steeple. Did you know this was one of the highest points at one time in NY? And that the fore runner of Columbia University, Kings College, same as my namesake here in London, started in this steeple?

Robert Fulton, the man who invented the first steam boat and designed the first submarine, Nautilus. What a great man.

Alexander Hamilton’s grave, one of the founding fathers, soldier, economist, political philosopher, lawyer and first US Secretary of State for the Treasury. What a polymath, great man.

Coming closer to the last turning.

Repairs on the telephone cable?

The subway station.

The statues on the side of the church. Couldnt find anything that described who were being represented, but that’s fine.

Did you know Tom Thumb and Lavinia Warren married here? How interesting.

Turning into the gate.

This sculpture was made from the roots of the sycamore tree which stood here for a century and was then destroyed by falling debris from the WTC in 9/11. Amazing structure. Imagine the imagination of the artist. Loved it.

A large plaque

A representation of his ship.

The grave of Captain James Lawrence, of the USN. Brave man, He died in a fight with a British Ship and his last words were, “dont give up the ship”.

His widow was also buried here with him.

Looking up at the statues and steeple.

Tiny windows crammed in.

I took a closeup but for the life of me, I cannot figure out what are these. Pine cones? Flowers? Skulls? What?

This is a plaque which was erected by the NY State Society of the Cincinnati to the memory of Alexander Hamilton and to the other officers of the US Army and Navy who are buried here.

With a rosette.



Couple of gravestones now as flagstones.

The grave of John Watts. A lawyer and politician.

Looking over the graveyard.



Some of the gravestones are broken or severely damaged by the vagaries of time. But many were good.

Peaceful graves. Resting in peace.



This gravestone presumably left space for his wife on the right hand side, but for some strange and rather sad reason, she wasnt buried here. Sad, eh?

A skull and crossbones on a gravestone.

A twin vault.

The graves of soldiers are all accompanied with a flag. Interestingly, he was a British Officer. Couldnt find anything on the web about this chap.

A bit of desecration on the right hand side gravestone.

The grave of Alexander Hamilton from this side.

The grave of Eliza, daughter of Philip Schuyler and widow of Alexander Hamilton.

The plaque on the top is an interesting story. Daughter of a soldier of the revolution. Interesting or what?

The grave of Robert Fulton on this side.

Soldier Graves.

Its not just soldiers who are buried here, even professors are buried here.

By this end, the graves are extremely old, most of them are completely worn away.

Another soldiers grave.

Looking back at the church.

Another gravestone as a paving stone. Dont like this at all. It seems disrespectful to walk on them, no?

A bird trying to have a drink from the tap.

Moses?

A bird trying to peck on food left on the tables.

We tried to go around the church and enter them.

The doors to the church are extraordinary. Made almost 100 years back, they depict biblical history and history of NY.








This one shows biblical history.

Good heavens, why? why this plaque?

Some history.

My manky photographs.

You cant go in unfortunately, drats. Looks like a lovely church. And services were going on.





Walked across to the wall street start and looked back at this lovely church. Wonderful place indeed. Its amazing it survived the 9/11 crash. Many people took shelter inside this church, it was dusty and debris fell around it but it was saved. Providence indeed. What a lovely place, I wish I could go inside, next time then!