reconstructed section of the building to the public

Archaeologists have started work on rebuilding the church where they believe Pocahontas married John Rolfe in 1614.

The footprint of the first colony church built at Virginia’s Jamestown settlement was discovered five years ago.

Now historians have started the job of reconstructing part of the building, where it is thought Rolfe, an English tobacco planter, and Pocahontas, the daughter of a powerful Native American chief, held their wedding.

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An artist's impression shows how the first colony church built at Virginia's Jamestown settlement might have looked in 1614

Historians have started the job of reconstructing part of the building, where English tobacco planter John Rolfe married Pocahontas, the daughter of a powerful Native American chief

Researchers hope the replica will give the public an idea of where the historic union took place more than 400 years ago.

According to Popular Archaeology, the original church was built by colonists in 1608 – first as a 60ft wooden structure and later as brick.

Fox News reports that the footprint was discovered in fall 2010 when researchers were looking for the remains of barracks.

Jamestown Rediscovery Project Senior Staff Archaeologist David Givens wrote in a project blog: ‘Our intention here is not to recreate the entire church but give some notion of the space, so that when people are standing inside the church they can understand what the walls would have looked like and the fabric of the building.’

The blog adds that builders are using clay with a modern concrete that contains fiberglass to keep the mud stable and safe for visitors.

Under construction: Researchers hope the replica will give the public an idea of where the historic union took place more than 400 years ago

The original church was built by colonists in 1608 – first as a 60ft wooden structure and later as brick

Builders are using clay with a modern concrete that contains fiberglass to keep the mud stable and safe for visitors

Colonists had to find a similar solution at the time and are thought to have used black rush from nearby marshes.

Mr Givens added: ‘Visitors will be able to come inside this and enjoy this space and understand the full gravity or breadth of what the 24-by-60 foot building that the colonists described would have looked like.’

A group of 104 settlers landed in Jamestown in May 1607 under the banner of the Virginia Company as part of moves to set up a colony.

Within days of landing, the colonists were attacked by Powhatan Indians. Over the years, further attacks along with disease and famine, took a toll on the population of the settlement.

POCAHONTAS: HOW A MARRIAGE PROMPTED EIGHT YEARS OF PEACE Settlers landed in Jamestown in May 1607 under the banner of the Virginia Company as part of moves to set up a colony. But the settlement was soon suffering amid disease, famine and attacks by Powhatan Indians. By 1608, Pocahontas, the favoured daughter of Chief Powhatan, was making trips to Jamestown, occasionally with gifts of food, and even befriended some of the settlers, according to history.com. An illustration shows the marriage of Pocahontas to John Rolfe at the first colony church in Jamestown, Virginia But further clashes occurred in the following years and in 1613, Pocahontas was taken hostage with settlement leaders hoping to use her to negotiate peace with her father. It was during this time that she converted to Christianity and took on the name 'Rebecca'. Chief Powhatan eventually agreed to the terms of her release but by then she had met an English tobacco planter called John Rolfe who had arrived in Jamestown in 1610. Their marriage on April 5, 1614, brought about eight years of peace and prosperity. The following year, Pocahontas had a child, Thomas, and the family travelled to England. She died in Gravesend, in Kent, England, shortly before they were due to return to Virginia. Advertisement

But historicjamestowne.org describes how there were times when the Powhatan revived the colony with food in exchange for goods.

After 1614 there was a period of peace after Pocahontas married tobacco grower John Rolfe.

She was captured and held captive for a year before announcing to her father that she was converting to Christianity and marrying the settler.

Pocahontas, who then took the English name 'Rebecca', had a son and the family travelled to England.

But she died in Gravesend in Kent, England, as they were about to return to Virginia.



