This Pattern is Part of the Aquidneck Island BOM at the Stitchery.

BRENTON POINT

The story of Brenton Point begins with the earliest pages of Rhode Island history. The point of land was named for colonial Governor, William Brenton (1600-1674). As the tip of land furthest south on Aquidneck Island (also called the Island of Rhode Island), both its commanding view of the ocean and its rugged topography made it an ideal location for early settlement. For the same reason it is a striking location for a state park. The original ‘plantation’ or farm, encompassed not only the present park bounds, but also Castle Hill, Hammersmith Farm, and Fort Adams. The Hammersmith name was bestowed by Governor Brenton because it was the name of his original home in England. As was the case with nearly all the original settlers of Newport, William Brenton was a religious refugee from the Massachusetts Bay Colony, centered in Boston. After living in Boston for four years, he was ‘vigorously excused’ in 1637, being one of the banned followers of religious enthusiast and out-spoken dissident, Anne Hutchinson. Along with the rest of the Hutchinson rebels, Brenton joined her little community in 1638 in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, before settling at the southern end of the island of Aquidneck in 1639. Unlike others who established the compact port area of the community which evolved into ‘downtown’ Newport, Brenton chose 2000 acres at the neck of land to the south of the town. He divided it into two farms. Eventually he had 11,000 sheep, plus horses and cows.

BRENTON POINT The story of Brenton Point begins with the earliest pages of Rhode Island history. The point of land was named for colonial Governor, William Brenton (1600-1674). As the tip of land furthest south on Aquidneck Island (also called the Island of Rhode Island), both its commanding view of the ocean and its rugged topography made it an ideal location for early settlement. For the same reason it is a striking location for a state park. The original ‘plantation’ or farm, encompassed not only the present park bounds, but also Castle Hill, Hammersmith Farm, and Fort Adams. The Hammersmith name was bestowed by Governor Brenton because it was the name of his original home in England. As was the case with nearly all the original settlers of Newport, William Brenton was a religious refugee from the Massachusetts Bay Colony, centered in Boston. After living in Boston for four years, he was ‘vigorously excused’ in 1637, being one of the banned followers of religious enthusiast and out-spoken dissident, Anne Hutchinson. Along with the rest of the Hutchinson rebels, Brenton joined her little community in 1638 in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, before settling at the southern end of the island of Aquidneck in 1639. Unlike others who established the compact port area of the community which evolved into ‘downtown’ Newport, Brenton chose 2000 acres at the neck of land to the south of the town. He divided it into two farms. Eventually he had 11,000 sheep, plus horses and cows.