Old Presbyterian Church of Newtown
Sycamore Ave Newtown PA. Grave sites of first-generation John Wilson, John Thompson, Hugh Thompson, Robert Thompson, National Register of Historic Places. Used by George Washington as a field hospital and prison following the Battle of Trenton 1776
The earliest beginnings of Presbyterian worship brought to Newtown Bucks County PA area comes from a petition brought to the Philadelphia Presbytery on September 19, 1734. The petition was brought by as group of individuals requesting permission to allow Reverend William Tennent, then pastor of the Neshaminy (Warwick) Presbyterian Church, to preach to them once a month. Sometime during the following 10-year period, a church building was constructed at the corner of Swamp Road and Green Lane. The first installed pastor was the Reverend Henry Martin, a recent graduate of The College of New Jersey, later known as Princeton University. He was ordained and began his duties in 1752.
In 1769, the stone structure at 76 N. Sycamore Street was built. Later in 1782, it was remodeled. In 1987, it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Thus, we are assured that this building will retain its current exterior as long as there are adequate resources to maintain it. The church continues to hold Sunday worship services during the summer.
In December 1776, because it was one of the largest buildings in town, General George Washington commandeered it to be used as a hospital, a jail, and a POW camp. After the Battle of Trenton, several hundred Hession soldiers were held here before they were marched to Philadelphia and exchanged for Continental Army soldiers.
The small building on the south side of the church is the Session House. It was build in 1798 and used for a meeting place for Session. Since most of the early Session members were farmers, and did not get to town except on Sunday, a quiet place was needed to conduct church business.
In back of the church is a cemetery. You may be surprised to find eight British flagged-marked graves of men who fought in the French and Indian Wars. There are twenty-eight flags flying over the graves of church members who followed George Washington in the Revolutionary War. Current church members share a fondness and special interest in the historic church on Sycamore Street, and work to raise funds for the preservation of the facilities and surrounding grounds. Each year the cemetery grounds are used for Wreathes Across America ceremony to honor our American heroes.
