Old Dutch Church of Sleepy Hollow

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North Side of the Old Dutch Church, Sleepy Hollow, New York, with the Old Dutch Burying Ground.

The Old Dutch Church of Sleepy Hollow is a 17th century church located in Sleepy Hollow, New York. The church and its three acre churchyard feature prominently in Washington Irving's "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow". The churchyard is often confused with the contiguous but separate Sleepy Hollow Cemetery.

Frederick Philipse I, Lord of Philipse Manor, owned the vast stretch of land spanning from Spuyten Duyvil in the Bronx to the Croton River. After swearing allegiance and later being granted his Manorship from the English, he began construction of the Old Dutch Church of Sleepy Hollow. Although financing this project, work likely progressed slowly and was completed in 1685.

The church's walls are about two-feet thick and are composed of local fieldstone.

Cast in Holland in 1685, the tiny church bell still hangs in the open-air steeple. Engraved on the bell is a verse from Romans 8:31, “Si Deus Pro Nobis, Quis Contras Nos?,” as well as Frederick Philipse’s monogram, “VF.” This monogram also appears on the weathervane above the steeple.

The early history of the church and its members was recorded by Dirck Storm, in his book "Het Notite Boeck der Christelyckes kercke op de Manner of Philips Burgh," one of the nation's most valuable historical documents.

Restoration in the 1960s revealed that several timbers in the roof were original. The roof's gambrel design is common to the Friesland area of the Netherlands, the area from which Frederick Philipse emigrated. Philipse and members of his family are buried in the church crypt, while others of the congregation are buried in the churchyard.

When Rt. 9 shifted from the east to the west of the church, the main entrance was moved from the south side to the west end.^[1]

The church and its burial ground are owned by Reformed Church of the Tarrytowns.

Notable burials in the church and yard include:

Frederick Philipse (1626-1702) - formerly held 52,000 acres of land along the Hudson River, Philipsburg Manor; builder of the church of Sleepy Hollow
Eleanor Van Tassel Brush (1763-1861) - one of several possible models for Katrina in "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow"
Catriena Ecker Van Tessel - a possible model for Katrina in "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and her Revolutionary War hero husband Petrus Van Tassel
Wolfert Acker (1667–1753), former deacon of the church, Collector of Philipsburg, and subject of Washington Irving's "Wofert's Roost." His wife Maretje Sibouts and his brother Jan, the church's first deacon, are also buried here.
Wolfert's son Syboat Acker (gravestone was one of 36 restored by the Rockefeller Family).
Susanna Requa, first wife of Revolutionary War hero and founder of Newburgh Ferry, NY, Wolfert Ecker. Wofert is buried with his second wife in Marlborough, New York.
Joseph Youngs (1722-1789) and Susannah Youngs, (1732-1783) - the parents of Samuel Youngs, one of several possible models for Ichabod Crane. Samuel Youngs was originally buried here but his remains were removed to Ossining's Dale Cemetery
Abraham Martling (1743-1830) - a possible inspiration for the character of Brom Bones in "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow"
Dirck Storm (1630-1715) - author of "Het Notite Boeck der Christelyckes kercke op de Manner of Philips Burgh," a book about the early years of the Old Dutch Church. He also served as Town Clerk in the early years of many New Amsterdam communities, including New Lots, Flatbush and Bedford, as well as Tax Collector for Frederick Philipse.