About Us

St. Andrew's began in 1744 when Joseph Wheaton of Seakonk, Rhode Island purchased a 130 acre tract of land and became the first permanent settler in what became Marble Dale.

The name Marble Dale derives from the ledge of marble that runs in a south easterly direction on the east side of the Aspetuck River, where people begin quarrying marble several years before the Revolutionary War. The area from Lake Waramaug down to Northville saw approximately 20 marble mills by the 1820-30s. A marble mill erected by George W. Cogswell near the present-day St. Andrews Rectory on Wheaton Rd. is said to have been the first stone sawmill in the State of Connecticut. By the early 19th century the Marble Dale region was famous throughout the United States for its marble, with its marble products being distributed as far afield as Ohio and New Orleans.

The first mention of what was to become St. Andrew's Church was made by the Rev. Thomas Davies, who baptized a number of children in New Preston, and held several services there in 1764 and 1765.. As of June 26, 1784 the inhabitants of New Preston and East-Witch (Warren) of the denomination of the Church of England, formed themselves into a "lawful society" according to the late Act of the General Assembly of this State of Connecticut." This newly recognized religious society met at the Church in New Preston on August 23, 1784.

The first church building that St. Andrew's Parish erected for its use, was located in the middle of New Preston. At a meeting less than seven years after the organization of St. Andrew's Parish, on January 20, 1791, it was voted to move the church in New Preston to a place to be determined by a special committee. A week later, on January 27, the committee put a stake marking the place to which the church building would be moved "about 9 Rods south west from the Presbyterian Meeting House." A year and a half later the stake was pulled because the church building could not get funded, and it was agreed that the Quaker Meeting House adjacent to what is now the Northville Cemetery was purchased. The purchase of the Quaker House, which was never large enough or in good enough shape to satisfy the needs of the St. Andrew's congregation, and the northern and southern parts of the parish would be split by the new southern-based location. Additionally, as the marble business waned and the summer resort destination of Lake Waramug grew, New Preston became the social and business center of the area while Marble Dale lost its influence.

Finally, according to the records of the parish on March 19, 1821, it was "proposed that that a Church be built for worship of All-Mighty God agreeable to the form, usage and service of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States - the calculations are that a suitable building of the dimensions of fifty-six feet by thirty-six feet can be erected either of stone, brick or wood for the sum of twenty-two hundred dollars." The "site shall be that certain corner or meadow or such part of it as may be required-to say one-half acre situated opposite Mr. Abijal Tomlinson's House in said New Preston Society."

Materials for building were gathered and work began during 1821, and the walls were erected in 1822 when the building was finished.

We are a Christ-Centered, Bible-Based church. We believe in God's love for us all, as a spiritual family centered on the life of Jesus Christ. Come and join us to worship God's Glory !

Saint Andrew's Episcopal Church has been serving our community for 253 years, we are part of the Episcopal Church of Connecticut (ECCT ).

Welcome The Rev. Daniel Mattila Priest in Charge