By 1715, the fine new church replaced the earlier Jacobean-style church, and except for the addition of the darker-brick tower, which was added in 1769, has largely retained its original outside appearance through nearly 300 years. This octagonal-shaped tower reflects the architectural influence of Christopher Wren, a popular English architect of the time, highly admired by Thomas Jefferson. The wrought-iron weather vane topping the spire is believed to date from the tower's construction. This tower also housed the bell that pealed out, proclaiming the good news when the Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776. The seven Virginian signers who are sure to have worshipped at Bruton Parish Church during their frequent visits to the colony's capital, were: Thomas Jefferson, Richard Henry Lee, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., George Wythe, Francis Lightfoot Lee and Carter Braxton.

Although the outside appearance of the structure changed little over the years, that was not the case with its interior. In 1752, the altar area was renovated and extended twenty-to feet, to make the length of the chancel and nave equal, and Peter Pelham installed an organ. Then, in the mid-nineteenth century, the high-backed, mahogany pews were cut down, and the original flagstone pavement of the aisle replaced with raised, wooden flooring. White, exterior shutters were hung a rarity on brick buildings in colonial days. And it was also during this time, while Williamsburg slumbered after the state capital was moved to Richmond, that the tower was thoughtlessly used for coal storage, as well.

Badly needed repairs were made to the aging church by the time Anglicanism's 300th anniversary in America was celebrated in 1907. New roof beams were installed and the red tin roof replaced by one of tiles. And old bricks, cracked or broken, some even falling apart, were replaced with new. But the true restoration of the church to its near original appearance did not occur until over three decades later. Off came the exterior shutters, being replaced by interior shutters as exited originally. Double-hung sash windows replaced the louvered wooden window grills in the tower. During the restoration, the graves of thirty-nine early parishioners and ministers were discovered under the flooring when it was pulled up, their initials identified nine of which and the dates marked on the tops of their coffins.

Among the many rectors of the Bruton Parish Church were the following four: Rev. Rowland Jones, Jr., Rev. James Blair, Rev. William Yates, Sr., and Rev. Henry M Denison. The first rector of the church, Rev. Rowland Jones, Jr., served before the first building was constructed, serving from 1674 to 1688. Born in Swimbrook, Oxfordshire, England, in 1644, the son of Rowland Jones, Vicar of Dorney, near Windsor Castle, County Bucks, England. He was a graduate of Merton College, Oxford, England, and came to Virginia in 1674, settling in what was then Middle Plantation, where he served as rector of Bruton Parish. He was twice married, first to Elizabeth (surname unknown to me), by whom he had two sons, Robert and William. She died and was buried on October 29, 1678, the burial being entered in the Bruton Parish Register. He next married Anne Lane, by whom he had Orlando, who married first, Martha Macon, widow of Thomas West, and had Lane (m. Anne Barber), and Frances (m. Col. John Dandridge). Orlando married second, Mary Williams, by whom he had no issue. His sister Anna Maria was married four times before she died in 1760, at seventy-five, 1) Capt. William Timson 2) Major William Barber, by whom she had Anne Barber [m. her cousin, Lane Jones] 3) Edward Scarbrough and 4) John Thornton.

From 1710-1743, Dr James Blair, first president of William and Mary College served as rector of Bruton Parish. He was born in Edinburg, Scotland, where he was educated in a Scotland University, before immigrating to Virginia in 1685. He married, with the disapproval of her parents, Sarah Harrison, who was fifteen years, his junior. Sarah was the oldest daughter of Colonel Benjamin Harrison, of "Wakefield," a wealthy landowner, and the grandfather of the signer of the Declaration of Independence, sharing the same name, and his wife, Hannah Churchill. They had no children, and are both buried in the Bruton Parish churchyard, where a sycamore tree grew up between the two graves to separate them in death, as Sarah's parents were unable to do in life.

Reverend William Yates, rector of Bruton Parish from 1759 to 1764, was the son of Rev. Bartholomew Yates, and his wife, Sarah Mickelborrough, and grandson of William and Katherine Yates, of Shockley, Chestershire, England. He married Elizabeth Randolph, daughter of Edward Randolph and his wife, Elizabeth Grosvenor, of England, and granddaughter of the English emigrant, William Randolph, of Turkey Island, Henrico County, Virginia. They had: 

1) Col William Yates, who married 1) Ann Isham Randolph, and had:  a)  Benjamin Poythress, who married Sophia Stith, daughter of Buckner Stith and Anne Walker, by whom he had William (m. Frances Jane Hinton, then Elizabeth Amie Murphy), and a daughter, Marienne, who died in infancy? He married next, Elizabeth Frances Stith, and had Sophia (m. Frederick Fishback) and Benjamin D (m. Elizabeth Forbes). b) William, who married and moved to Mississippi, where he died, leaving no issue. c)  Theoderick, who died in infancy. Col. William Yates married 2) Elizabeth Booth, by whom he had Ann, who married Thomas Gholson.

2) Edward Randolph Yates, who married Elizabeth Murray, daughter of John Murray, of Mecklenburg County, Virginia, by whom he had John Murray Yates, of Dinwiddie County, Virginia, who married Ann Bailey and had John; Edward Randolph, who migrated to California; William Moring, of Halifax County; Joseph A, who never married; Benjamin Lewis, who married Margaret Sophia Rails; Louise Murray, who never married; Ann Bailey, who married Henry Tucker; Mary E, who married John H Tisdale; Martha J, who married 1) Dr Leroy Murrell  2) William Campbell; and Susan Dean, who married Daniel W Tisdale.