First Church of Wenham

Since it is the first church of Wenham, the old church located on Main Street has a long history that dates back to the 17th century. Organized on October 8th, 1644, John Fiske because the first pastor for the first church in Wenham.  However, in 1654, he and seven families from the Wenham congregation moved to Chelmsford to start their own church, leaving a small group to look after the one in Wenham. Then Reverend Joseph Gerrish served in the church and town in 1673 serving for forty-seven years, through many events like King Philip's War, Queen Anne’s War, and the Salem Witch Trials. Gerrish also lived in the Claflin-Gerrish-Richards house, which was later partly named for him. In 1856, the church had a “Parish Society” to help the church, though only men were allowed to join. 40 years after the society formed, in 1896, they voted to allow women in. There have been many renovations and additions to the building over the years, always changing to better fill the needs of the community. Though it started as a Puritan congregation, which was known for being a strict protestant religion, the congregation today is welcoming and accepting to all. The First Church cherish the history of their congregation and where they started, but are not afraid to learn from the past, while continuing to grow and improve.   

You can read more about the history of the church here. 

Images: Photo of the First Church in 1951, First Church in 1890 featuring a horsecar, inside of the Church in 1890.