Our History

A Brief History

Three hundred years ago, Captain Richard Seymour led a band of fourteen families from Farmington Village to the southeastern section of that town. In 1686 and for many years thereafter, this area was known as the Great Swamp Settlement of Farmington. Our forefathers traveled the path to Farmington Village on foot or on horseback at least once a week – to go to church on Sunday and to bury their dead in Farmington. The trip was long and tiring, especially in the winter.

In 1705 the settlers petitioned the General Assembly to be set off as a separate parish. In March 1707 the General Assembly granted the Great Swamp Settlement the right to lay and collect its own taxes instead of paying taxes to Farmington. The members of the parish met to plan for the establishment of its own church and consider a more convenient place for burial of their dead. Land for the cemetery was donated by Mr. William Burnham. Mr. Burnham was called to lead the group. After several years of work and planning, the Great Swamp Church, also known as the Second Church of Farmington, was gathered on December 10, 1712. The seven pillars and their wives were: William Burnham, Pastor, Stephen Lee and his wife Elizabeth Rogers, Anthony Judd, who was chosen as the first Deacon, Samuel Seamore and his wife Hannah North, Thomas North, Thomas Hart and his wife Sarah Thompson, and Caleb Cowles.

The first meeting house was located near Deming Road, just south of the original settlement on Christian Lane. The sanctuary was unfinished as was the parsonage. The church members worked on the buildings so that by 1722 the church had pews, a pulpit with a suitable cushion, a gallery, and the parsonage was partially finished. Most important of all, the Great Swamp name was changed by the General Assembly to the present name, Kensington, which the settlers had requested as early as 1707. With the exception of Wallingford, our church is the oldest church in the Central Association.

Accomplishments of our Church

1717 - First school
1785 – Town government organized and first meeting held in our Meeting House
1829 – Organized library which became the Town Library
1863 – Erected first Civil War monument in the United States
1884 – Produced Church Record – forerunner of the Berlin News (newspaper)
1884 – Held Harvest Festival – forerunner of Berlin Fair
1972 – Organized Kensington Nursery School

Kensington Congregational Church

United Church of Christ

In the Heart of the Community Since 1712