American Visions: The
Promised Land
Puritan Art and the Plain Style
Old Ship Church, 88 Main Street, Hingham,
Plymouth County, MA, built 1681.
The Old Ship Church is the oldest
meetinghouse in continuous
ecclesiastical use in the United
States. The structure has been
added to extensively over the years,
but was restored to a "a pleasing
combination of 17th and 18th
century elements" in the 1930s.
What do you
notice about
the interior of
the Old Ship
church? How
does it match
with what
you learned
about the
Puritans in
your textbook
reading?
What part of the church interior is most prominent? What common
features of church interiors are missing? What does this say about
Puritan religion?
What do you
notice about
the type and
arrangement
of pews?
What does
this suggest
about
Puritan
society?
The Old
Ship Church
is named for
the interior
curve of the
roof which
resembles a
ship's hull.
1) Why might this be an especially appropriate architectural
metaphor for the Puritans?
2) Why might a ship-like interior be a common component of
church architecture? (Think: biblical allusion.)
Self-Portrait of Captain Thomas Smith, 1680. Oil on canvas.
The Freake Family, 1671-1674, by Unknown Artist known only as the Freake Painter.
The Parson Capen House, Topsfield, MA, 1683.
The Parson Capen House, Topsfield, MA, 1683.
Hoyt-Barnum House, Stamford, CT, 1675.