The East Devon village of Woodbury, only a few miles from East Budleigh, has its own connection with Salem, Massachusetts.
In 1662, following the death of Oliver Cromwell and England’s return to a monarchy under King Charles II, Parliament passed the Act of Uniformity.
The Act forced ministers to conform to the new regime by insisting that they swear an oath which included acceptance of the Prayer Book and obedience to the bishops. As a result almost 2,000 dissenting ministers who refused to conform were removed from their posts.
Puritanism had established particularly deep roots in Devon, and 121 of the ministers were from churches in the county, including St Swithun’s at Woodbury. The Revd Samuel Fones, ejected as minister after 16 years of service, was so well loved by parishioners that his congregation was reported to have wept as he climbed to the pulpit to preach his final sermon. He would eventually settle in New England, where he died in 1693.
In crossing the Atlantic he was following the path of his uncle, Governor John Winthrop, one of the leading figures in founding the Massachusetts Bay Colony. On 13 June 1630, the first of 11 ships in the Winthrop Fleet carrying a total of 700 English Puritan immigrants landed at Salem.
If you are interested in the history of early America, and Roger Conant as a peacemaker in troubled times you can join the Devon Peacemaker Festival Facebook group at
https://www.facebook.com/groups/700424602802079
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