For history lovers who crave a quick yet deep dive into the American Revolutionary era, a trans-Atlantic hop can unite three surprisingly related sites. Beginning on the south bank of the Thames, you will visit the quiet sanctuary where the notorious turncoat Benedict Arnold rests. A short flight across the pond lands you in the Hudson Valley, where a modest marker commemorates the British spy John André. The journey concludes at the Saratoga National Historical Park, home to a granite tribute that forever enshrines Arnold’s early brilliance.
St. Mary’s Church, Battersea – a riverside resting place
St. Mary’s Church, set against the flowing Thames in London, occupies a spot that has welcomed worshippers since 800 AD. The current stone structure, finished in 1777 continues to serve as an active Anglican parish and welcomes visitors at no charge. Inside the crypt lie the remains of Benedict Arnold and his wife Peggy Shippen Arnold who fled to England after their West Point conspiracy collapsed. The couple’s graves are modest, reflecting a community-run space rather than a grand memorial.
Upstairs, a set of 1970s stained-glass windows pays tribute to the controversial general, while additional panes honor poet William Blake—who married in the church in 1782—painter J.M.W. Turner and botanist William Curtis all of whom once used the vestry or grounds for their work. The blend of ancient stone, eighteenth-century art, and modern commemoration makes the church a layered stop for any short historic tour.
John André’s marker in Tappan, New York – a silent hilltop
Crossing the Atlantic, the next waypoint rests on a hill near the intersection of Old Tappan Road and André Hill in Rockland County, New York. A granite slab, erected in by the William G. Pomeroy Foundation replaces a missing state marker and bears the inscription: “British spy hanged at site located 450 feet south. On Oct. 2, 1780. Buried near gallows. Exhumed and reinterred in England 1821.” The marker’s coordinates—41° 1.354′ N, 73° 57.296′ W—pinpoint the exact spot where Major John André head of the British Secret Service in America, met his fate.
The monument not only marks the execution of a man described as “the head of its Secret Service in America”, but also situates the event within the broader Hudson Valley landscape that once echoed with the footsteps of Continental soldiers. Visitors can view the inscription, photograph the surrounding countryside, and reflect on the thin line between espionage and treason that defined the Revolutionary conflict.
Benedict Arnold monument at Saratoga National Historical Park – a paradoxical tribute
Travel a further 60 miles westward to the Saratoga National Historical Park, where a modest granite relief sits behind an iron fence. The front of the stone features a meticulously carved boot, while the reverse bears a dedication: “In memory of the ‘most brilliant soldier’ of the Continental Army, who was desperately wounded on this spot… 7 Oct 1777, winning for his countrymen the decisive battle of the American Revolution and for himself the rank of Major General.” Though the name Benedict Arnold is omitted, the inscription unmistakably points to the man once celebrated for his heroic actions at the Battle of Saratoga before his later betrayal.
The monument’s understated presence contrasts with the grandeur of the surrounding battlefield, reminding travelers that the same individual who helped secure a turning-point victory later plotted to surrender West Point. The site offers a chance to contemplate the duality of Arnold’s legacy—heroic commander turned infamous traitor—within the very landscape where his early fame was forged.
By linking these three sites—London’s river church, a quiet New York hill, and a Saratoga battlefield—travelers can trace a narrative that spans continents and decades, witnessing how personal ambition, espionage, and betrayal intersected with the birth of a nation.
