Two items one additive to the Wren Chapel History and another more of a quest of history relating to the Wren Building: First the quest: In my research on the Battle of Williamsburg (personal project in its 10th year..) I have long had an endeavor on my "too be done list" that relates to the history of the Wren building. Apparently there were a couple of cannon captured from the British at Yorktown during the Revolutionary War that had resided in front of the College Building (Wren Building if you like marketing, PR and unsubstantiated revisionist history) until 1862 (so 81 years). The cannon are actually in one of Sneden's sketches following the Battle of Williamsburg. The cannon were claimed as plunder by either the 1st or 11th Massachusetts and presented to the Town of Roxbury, Massachusetts (south Boston). As cannon usually stick around I think it would be a great thing to find them again.....another worthy endeavor would be to try and track down items looted from the Chapel crypts during the civil war. The second item is another critical piece of information I found on the Chapel and its actually historical use and another example of the way its use ebbed, flowed and evolved. It appears the Chapel had considerable gaps in which it was not actively used for regular or any Christian services (or even commencement). The chapel was used from 1732-1780 and then again from 1830 until 1859. However in the period of 1780 - 1830 it appears to not have been used and even fell into disrepair. Remarkably the College is described by a visitor in 1786, dare I say, as a secular institution (if you question my characterization, see the visitors disbelief in his observed lack of religious (prayer) involvement/integration). So again, actual history paints a rather mixed and variable picture of the use of the Chapel. Source: Title: Burial Vaults Under the Chapel at the Wren Building the College of William and Mary Architectural Report Block 16 Building 3 Author: Paul Buchanan Author: Catherine Savedge Schlesinger Publisher: Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Location: Williamsburg, VA Date: 1990 : Until the reorganization of the College in 1779-1780, Chapel services were held twice daily as noted before;225 and in 1774 Mr. Edward Digges was appointed "keeper of the Chapel."226 In May, 1777, when Ebenezer Hazard visited Williamsburg, he wrote of the "small Chapel for the Use of the Students" at the "South End of the Parade [piazza]," noting that "Sir John Randolph, Lord Bottetourt, & Peyton Randolph Esqr late President of the Congress are buried here." He added, "at the North End is a Room allotted for a Divinity School, but there have been no Students in it for several Years."227 Apparently, after the reorganization, when the College was made a University, services in Chapel were discontinued. After a visit to Williamsburg, Jedediah Morse wrote Ezra Stiles of Yale in 1786: "There are about 30 Students belonging to William and Mary College, most of them Law Students. They have six Professorships. The Professors, successively lecture once a day - the Students attend or not as they please. When this Lecture is delivered the business of the day is done both for Professor and Student. They have no public Prayers Morning nor Evening no recitations, no public speaking... Such, however incredible, is the State of William & Mary College."228 -79- The Chapel was doubtless repaired when necessary before the Revolution, although there are few details as to any work done there. In December, 1740, a Mr. Bowler was paid "for new covering the Chappel Forms" £5: 0: 0.229 We have already noted the references to work on the "pew in Colledge & Floor" and to bricks and lime and "building a Vault" in the Chapel in connection with Lord Botetourt's burial there in 1770; and to the Pulpit, the width of the aisle, the brick Pier 6 ½ feet wide, between two large windows, and the distance from the ceiling to the wainscot and the wainscot to the floor, in connection with a proposed monument to Lord Botetourt.230 It would seem that the Chapel was in such a bad state repair that Commencement exercises were being held at Bruton Parish Church by or before 1812.231 President J. Augustine Smith noted that the Chapel was badly in need of repairs in his annual reports to the Visitors and Governors in 1817, 1818, and 1819.232 It had evidently not been repaired by 1824, when a visitor from New England described its seats as "broken down, and the panels of the doors broken through."233 It probably remained in this state until circa 1830, when services were again ordered to be held - the visitors and Governors passing a resolution that "the Chapel be opened for religious exercises at such hour each day of the week as the Faculty may designate"; and the Faculty ordering that "Morning prayers will take place in the Chapel every day, immediately before- the first Lecture in the Morning."234 In the July, 1831, report of the Faculty, it was noted that the College carpenter had been "faithfully engaged at his duty," and that the Chapel had "been repaired painted & furnished with Benches." In this same report it was noted - "The opening of the Chapel ... has been attended with Much effect as might reasonably have been anticipated."235 In a message dated 2/26/2007 4:25:24 PM Eastern Standard Time, [log in to unmask] writes: Vince Haley himself has historical information about Wren Chapel, not as detailed but probably as accurate and unbiased as that of Mr. McMahon's. It also seems his words should be presented for members of this list to see and absorb as Mr. Hagen-Long has brought him to task in a personal and political manner, apparently towards elevating his own liberal viewpoints. What of Mr. Haley's rationale and further concerns that recent actions will soon lead to additional related removals, such as the altar table, altar rails, the pulpit....and what about the alma mater if that can be made pertinent to this discussion? ...and his other concerns that seem legitimate to me.....and no more antagonizing and uncompromising than what I have read by the predominance in this discussion having liberal views. Give Mr. Haley half a chance here, please, or who is being so unreasonable and uncompromising: http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=NTk3Njc2MWM5OWNjZmY3MmNjYzUzMGJiNjZlZWFiY 2E= Regardless of what has happened over the years to the physical Wren Chapel, what is important are the heartfelt and mindful feelings of the place that were present at its beginning and that have since developed over 270+ years that makes its history so valued. Thanks, Neil McDonald To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html