The Saltonstall Meeting House (the 3rd Meeting House) is completed in 1698; a new bell (the second) is presented by Gov. Winthrop.  This is the last church on the old site; struck by lightning in 1735, badly shattered, but repaired; used until 1785.

Interesting note!

The ship Adventure was icebound in New London harbor for the winter of 1699 when the river and harbor froze. The citizens of New London (and therefore the church, because they were nearly one and the same) were given silver in way of thanks for taking in the crew for the winter. This silver was later melted down and made into the two 1699 cups. The inscription from the original silver was retained.

    The owners of the ship Adventure present solid silver to the church in 1699.  These are the first of 16 historic communion cups acquired by the church.

    The Second daughter church is founded at Groton in 1704.  In 1708 the church exercises its privilege of dissent from the Connecticut Saybrook Platform as smacking too much of an established church system.

    The Assembly of Connecticut, repealing a law for the purpose, makes it possible for Mr. Saltonstall to be elected governor of the state, May of 1708 and thus leaves the church; with John Winthrop, Jr. and FitzJohn Winthrop, the third member of the church to be so honored.

    In a sermon commemorating Mr. Saltonstall's death (1724), Dr. Cotton Mather said, "We will not call him a star, but even a constellation of the most fulgid endowments."