Are you a descendant of Philip English, accused of witchcraft in 1692, whose family tree includes Hawthornes and Ingersolls? Perhaps your Massachusetts ancestors remained loyal to the English crown during the Revolution, or you descend from a Salem ship captain, enslaved person, or from the great American mathematician and navigator, Nathaniel Bowditch. How was an Anglican Church, whose bell tower still houses the oldest (1740) church bell in the United States, finally established in the Puritan town of Salem? Come hear the fascinating stories of historic St. Peter’s Church, founded in 1733 and built on land donated by Philip English, who is buried under the 1872 chapel. Join us on the steps of St. Peter’s for a Salem Ancestry Days concert on our 1885 bell carillon. Weighing over 5.5 tons and hanging high above Salem for 138 years and counting, the carillon at St. Peter’s will ring at noon on Friday, Saturday and Sunday for a brief concert of English and Spanish hymns and patriotic tunes to honor our ancestors!

Tour Information