st. peter's church

The oldest Anglican church in the new world, the cedar beams inside, the lighting fixtures, the many memorials to those who have passed on the walls, and the graves that surround this church take you back in time. Indicative of the slave trade that came to the island, black parishioners are buried on one side of the church and white parishioners on the other. There are twenty-five steps to climb, hand laid brick, to get to the church, which is very well maintained. A must to see in my book!

The church offers a great glimpse back through time. Lots of plaques on the wall to read to give you a sense of the local families who made up the community of St. George. Lovely architecture and furnishings. Be sure to take some time to explore the graveyard outside. Many of the headstones are so old you can no longer read them, but the the overall sense of time and history which they represent is stirring.

Just a beautiful church to see as a tourist and amazing to attend an 11 AM service. The history is incredible, with historical cemetery on either side. Be sure to see the cemetery section designated for freed slaves. Inside, the church is done in beautiful Bermuda cedar. Be sure to look at the ceiling beams; open one of the "doors" to a pew and step inside and sit - so straight backed you can feel the strictness and tradition of the times in the 1700s and 1800s. Staying in St George a month, we've already been twice to Sunday service. A beautiful tradition of all standing in the aisle and singing "Let there be peace on earth" after the sharing of greetings. Visitors are welcomed and we could feel that immediately. At the end of the service, the celebrant asks "Are there any birthdays?" and then "Are there any anniversaries?" We were celebrating our 45th: everyone applauded and then we were so surprised, the organist began to play and everyone sang Happy Anniversay from St Peters! Truly a beautiful place to visit and see on any day as a tourist and wonderful to attend a Sunday 11 AM service if you can. The oldest Anglican church in the New World. Be sure to go to the coffee hour afterward for delicious homemade corn bread or ginger bread - when we were there, baked by the delightful 97 year old church member who we met and talked with.

This church is definitely worth a few minutes of your time as you're wandering St. George's. It's right off the main square, so not too far from everything. According to their literature, it's the oldest Anglican (and Protestant) church in the western hemisphere, which in and of itself is pretty cool - it's almost 400 years old. The inside is simple but quite lovely. Grab a free brochure which explains the different sections of the church and their historical significance. Also don't miss the staircases up to the balconies for a different view. Take a little time to walk the cemetery too.*if you like my review, I hope you'll click the 'helpful' button; those of us who write reviews live for those and it motivates us to do more :) *

We watched the Christ Church bell choir performance here on the Christmas walkabout and it was wonderful.

What a good thing that the unfinished church is just that, otherwise it would have replaced St Peter's. The layout of the church is unique in my experience (of Anglican churches throughout the world); with a north-south axis leading from the main doors to the lectern and pulpit, with the altar off at 90 degrees to the east. This reflects the different stages of the church's development over the years. The box pews have been stripped back to bare cedar in most of the church, with a few left painted as they used to be. The exposed roof beams give character to the building.The vestry has an astonishing collection of silver, including that given to the church by King William III and Queen Mary II, hence the title 'Their Majesties' Chapell'. There was no volunteer on duty when we visited, but luckily we ran into the incumbent, who gave us a fascinating talk on the history of this church.Do visit it.

If one is expecting St. Peter's to be a grand European Duomo you will be disappointed. However St. Peter's St. George is a charming provincial church with some real treasures including the grave of the last American serviceman to die in the War of 1812 as well as the final resting place of the lovely American lady whose portrait graces our early coinage. There is magnificent communion plate (silver) presented to the church by William and Mary of Orange in 1697 as well as fascinating slave records.

We didn't do a full visit, as we were pressed for time, but it is neat that it is so old, and well preserved. The cemetery out back was neat too, but since we didn't pay, we didn't want take advantage. If you are into old churches, you'd probably like this one.

The volunteer tour guide was very knowledgeable and very happy to share not only the 'old world" history about the church, but also shared some local and contemporary history with us as we walked through. The significance of the church is very important and unique site everyone should see.

At 400 years old, this is a rare find for the western hemisphere. The space is airy with beautiful details, especially the dark beams. Entering via the wonderful cemetery is extra special. Great views over the town.

St. Peter's church is in the middle of St. George's at the east end of Bermuda. Often overlooked, St. George's is a very worthwhile destination easily reached by bus, ferry service or taxi. One of our favorite attractions is St. Peter's church. It absolutely reeks of history. The church is beautiful and is chock ablock with interesting things to occupy your attention. There are dozens of wall plaques relating to the several hundred years of history of Bermuda. After your visit,mothers are all sorts of dining options and other attractions.

When I take my tour participants to St. Peter's which by the way should be "Their Majesties Chappell" as it has been officially designated they are truly in awe of this church which was first build in 1612. It is the oldest Anglican church outside the British Isles. The present structure was built on the same foundations in 1713/1714 after the hurricane of 1712. In its graves are the remains of gentry, commoners, governors, black slaves, Indians, privateers, politicians. No other church contains so much of Bermuda's heritage.

When I initially drafted my list of sites to see during my weeklong visit to Bermuda, this was one of the first sites on the list; I was not disappointed. Below are my comments by functional area.Expectations. I primarily enjoy military museums, fortifications, aircraft and ships. However, I also visit sites of historical significance like this one - especially those with unique architectural aspects. Anyone interested in history, architecture or religiously-inspired sites will thoroughly enjoy this site.Accessibility. Bear in mind that the ferry does not service St Georges during the Winter (Nov-Mar). By bus, take the #1, #3, #10 or #11 bus to St Georges. The church is on Duke of York Street near the bus stop (across the street from St Georges Square). There is sufficient room for scooter parking across the street in St Georges square. Admission/hours/staff. There is no admission fee to the church but there is a donation box at the entrance. The operating hours are daily 10:00 am to 4:00 pm but I would recommend checking a reputable travel guide book (I used Lonely Planet) or simply inquire at your hotel's concierge or at the Tourist Information Office located at the Hamilton Ferry Port. There was one volunteer present on the day that I visited; he was very courteous and had a wealth of knowledge of the church.Grounds, exhibits, etc. I visited in early November immediately after the October hurricane and the grounds were in immaculate condition; there are several nice palms and cedars. The builders of the church made extensive use of native cedar; the exposed cedar ceiling beams are noteworthy and stand out in contrast to the whitewashed walls. The volunteer at the church explained that the seats in the loft were reserved for slaves - an interesting indication of the beliefs of the time. Behind the altar is an enclosed glass case where Communion Silver (?) and other various silver items (please forgive my ignorance of Catholicism) are stored and displayed. The courtyard has several grave sites segregated by free men and slaves. A brief history of the church is listed below:1612 - Thatched roof church constructed.1619 - Wooden church constructed.1625 - Silver St Georges chalice (on display) given to the church.1697 - Communion silver (on display) given to the church by King William III.1713/14 - Church reconstructed after a hurricane.1766 - Wooden steeple added.1815 - Church expanded and clock installed in the tower.Time required to see this site. The church is easily seen in less than one hour.Amenities. I do not recall seeing any restrooms. There are gift shops and restaurants all within a one minute walk from the church.Handicap access. I am not handicapped but I realize that handicap access is a determining factor for some people whether or not they will visit a site. I think it is safe to say that anyone who has difficulty walking or climbing stairs would have a hard time negotiating all of the steps to access the front of the church. However, the back entrance of the church is at street level and should facilitate entry, but this is a residential area with no parking but accessible via taxis.Additional sites nearby. Provided that you get an early enough start, a visit to the church is easily combined with a visit to multiple other sites in/near St Georges into a one-day trip (Deliverance reproduction, National Trust Museum, Fort St Catherine and other buildings on St Georges square).

Our visit to the Bermudas was a great experience and a wonderful time with the family and friends, the first place i want to recommend is saint George and please go to the beach they are all beautiful beaches with pink sand and if you get hungry visit Hamilton's water front and you'll find a lot of good places to eat.

The oldest church in the northern hemisphere.Lots of historic artifacts and just seeing this beautiful structure is an amazing thing to behold