03/15/09

GPR by Bruce Bevans, Geophysicist, at the Neshaminy-Warwick Presbyterian Cemetery

This project was meant to locate the church that was where the Reverend William Tennent had his church in Warwick Township on the Neshaminy Creek.  The church was built in 1727 and remained it operation to the middle of the century.  There was a split in the congregation and the “new-side”, as they were called, built another church a short distance down the road.  After a while, the “old-side” congregation dissipated and the church fell vacant.  The church was then razed in 1792.  The present congregation wanted to commemorate the old church and needed to locate where it stood.  There were some old writings that gave some description, but more was needed.  A scan using ground penetrating radar revealed nothing.  Dowsing of the site uncovered a rectangle with the dimensions that were know for the old church ( 40 feet wide by 30 deep) .  Performing archaeology on the site had us digging up the broken roof tiles, of the church, that had been left in the foundation trench after the stone foundation had been removed for placement in the cemetery walls. 

Monument to the Old Church

The church site is now outlined with Belgian block and a monument with a bronze plaque tells the history of the church (see above).  The older graves in this area did not register with the ground penetrating radar scan nor with the dowsing rod.