Places of Worship
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St. Michael's Rectory, Bristol |
The religious freedom sought by the early settlers is clearly expressed by the 29 diverse places of worship existing today in our county. Many Portuguese immigrated to Bristol County and settled in Bristol and Warren back in the county's whaling days. In the mid to late 1800s, many Italians settled in Barrington to work in its large brickyard. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries French-Canadians, Italians, Polish and Irish came to work in the mills. The churches of the East Bay represent all major denominations
and the ethnic diversity of Bristol County's populace.
For those interested in religious history, New England’s oldest Masonic Temple still stands on Baker Street in Warren. Built in 1799, timbers salvaged from Revolutionary War British frigates sunken in Newport harbor were integral to its construction. Warren's Baptist Church, built in 1844, was a replacement of one burned by Hessian troops in a 1776 raid. It is said to have had its bell originally cast by Paul Revere. St. Mark’s Church in Warren, built in 1829, stands on the National Register of Historic
Places.