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GRAVEL-LANE, HOUNDS DITCH.

PRESBYTERIAN.-EXTINCT.

THE meeting-house in Gravel-lane, Houndsditch, was

erected about the time of the Revolution in 1688, for the well-known Mr. Samuel Pomfret. His former meeting was in Winchester-street, but that place giving way, his people built a new one in Gravel-lane. It was a wooden building, of very considerable dimensions, with three capacious galleries; and capable of accommodating 1500 people. Mr. Pomfret was a minister of uncommon popularity, a lively, awakening preacher, and an instrument of much good in his day. He had a larger number of communicants than any other church in London, and notwithstanding his immense labours, held out to a good old age. In the latter part of his life he was assisted by Mr. William Hocker, likewise an excellent minister. They died within a month of each other, in 1721-2; and were succeeded by Mr. Denham, from Glocester. About 1730, Mr. William May was chosen his assistant. The congregation being somewhat reduced, though still respectable both for numbers, and opulence, after assembling at this place for about half a century, erected a smaller, but more substantial meetinghouse, in Great Alie-street, Goodman's-fields, to which place we refer the reader for a more particular account of the above valuable ministers. The meeting-house in Gravellane, was afterwards occupied as a wool-warehouse, and is still in existence. But nothing of its original state is now to be seen, excepting the wooden walls.

BISHOPSGATE-STREET.

PRESBYTERIAN AND INDEPENDENT.-EXTINCT

THIS is among the many places in the early times of the

Nonconformists which cannot now be identified. In the reign of Charles the Second, a Presbyterian Society met somewhere without Bishopsgate; but by whom it was collected, is unknown. All that we know respecting it is, that the last pastor was Mr. Abraham Hume, a Scotsman, whom we shall have occasion to mention under a future article. (A) The Society appears to have been dispersed by a storm of persecution, raised at the latter end of the reign of King Charles the Second, or the beginning of the reign of King James.*

Besides the Presbyterian Society above-mentioned, there was an Independent congregation met many years afterwards, in Bishopsgate-street; but we know as little of this interest as of the former one. In a list of Independent churches in London, in 1727, there is one mentioned in Bishopsgatestreet, of which the pastor was Mr. John Cox, and his assistant Mr. Thomas Davies. Of these gentlemen we know nothing beside their mere names; excepting that Mr. Cox left the ministry in 1730, when, it is apprehended, his church broke up. With respect to the origin of this Society, it must have been some years later than 1695. It probably arose out of a neighbouring congregation, continued for a short while, and then suddenly expired.

(U) See HANOVER-STREET, LONG-ACRE.

Mr. Fleming's Sermon on the Death of Mr. Hume, p. 42.
+ MS. penes me.

HAND-ALLEY, BISHOPSGATE-STREET.

PRESBYTERIAN.-EXTINCT,

HAND-ALLEY

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AND-ALLEY is situated on the south side of Bishopsgate-street, a little without the gate. Here stood, formerly,' a large meeting-house, occupied near seventy years by a very respectable congregation of Presbyterians. It was erected soon after Bartholomew-day, 1662, for the famous Mr. Thomas Vincent, whose name will always be mentioned with honour, on account of his disinterested labours during the dreadful plague, in 1665. After the great fire, which quickly succeeded the former calamity, most of the parishchurches being burnt, Mr. Vincent's meeting-house was violently taken from him for the use of the parochial minister, while his church was rebuilding. Maitland, who mentions this circumstance, describes it as "a large place, with three galleries, thirty large pews, and many benches and forms."* After some time, Mr. Vincent recovered the use of his meeting-house, and preached there till his death, in 1678. He was succeeded by Mr. John Oakes, as he was, by the celebrated Dr. Daniel Williams; who was followed in the pastoral office by the pious and learned Dr. John Evans, author of those excellent discourses on the Christian Temper. A few months before the death of this excellent person, his congregation, which was very numerous and wealthy, built him a new meeting-house, in New Broad-street, Petty France, to which place they removed in 1729. Not long after, the meeting-house in Hand-alley was pulled down, and houses erected on the site. The lives of the pastors of this church, will conie more properly under our notice, in the article NEW BROAD-STREET, PETTY-FRANCE.

* Maitland's History of London, vol. i. p. 452.

DEVONSHIRE-SQUARE.

PARTICULAR BAPTIST.

DEVONSHIRE-SQUARE stands on the site of what was

called Fisher's-Folly, from Jasper Fisher, citizen and goldsmith, one of the six clerks in Chancery, and a justice of peace, who erected a large and magnificent mansion here. The owner being a man of no great birth or fortune, and involved in his circumstances, his building so sumptuous a house was considered a piece of extravagant ostentation. It, therefore, received the name of Fisher's-Folly. This mansion afterwards belonged to the Earl of Oxford, from whom it passed to the Earl of Devonshire, who gave name to the street and square, built upon its ruins.*

The meeting-house now under consideration, stands in a paved yard, behind Devonshire-square, called Meeting-house Yard. It is an oblong building, of moderate dimensions, and has two galleries. Notwithstanding the alterations it has undergone, it still carries the marks of an ancient structure, though the precise date of it cannot be ascertained. The probability is, that it was erected soon after the formation of the church, a little before the Protectorate of Oliver Cromwell. After the fire of London, it was wrested from the lawful owners, and converted into a tabernacle for an episcopal congregation, till the parish-churches were rebuilt; when the Baptists regained possession. In the time of Mr. Stevens, about half a century ago, it was new-fronted, and otherwise improved. The church assembling here, is one of the earliest of the Baptist denomination in London. In a former article we have traced the rise of the Baptist churches to Mr. Lathorp's congregation. The members of the first

* Strype's, Maitland's, and Pennant's Histories of London.

DEVONSHIRE-SQUARE.- Particular Baptist.

separation from his church settled in Wapping, and chose Mr. Spilsbury for their pastor. In process of time some disputes arose in this church, on the subject of mixed communion. Those who were against it withdrew, and formed a separate Society, under the care of Mr. William Kiffin. The separation is said to have taken place in 1653, soon after which the present meeting-house was built. There is a report very prevalent, that Sir Robert Tichborne, Knt. and alderman of London, preached here frequently during the inter-regnum. (B)

(B) Sir Robert Tichborne, Knt. was a native of London, but descended, most probably, from the Tichbornes of Hampshire, formerly Lords Ferrard, in Ireland, and another branch Baronets in England. During the civil wars, he entered into the army, became a colonel of militia, and obtained from Fairfax, the lieutenancy of the Tower. He appears to have been one of the greatest advocates for the death of King Charles I. presented a petition from the common council of London for his trial, was a commissioner of the high court of justice, gave judgment, and signed the warrant for execution. When the long-parliament was turned out, in 1653, he was appointed a member of the committee, and represented the city of London in the parliament which gave Oliver Cromwell the Protectorship. Before this, he was chosen alderman of London, and elected Lord-Mayor, Dec. 15, 1655. He was knighted by Oliver Cromwell, and made one of the Lords of the other house. This so attached him to the Cromwell interest, that he proposed restoring Richard to the sovereign power. He was, however, appointed one of the second committee of safety, in 1659. At the Restoration, he was a prisoner to the Serjeant at Arms, from whom he withdrew, but came in again, and was tried and condemned. He acknowledged his activity in the King's death, and that he signed the warrant for his execu tion; but, added he, "had I known then what I do now, I would have chosen a red-hot oven to have gone into, as soon as that meeting; I was led into the fact for want of years, and I beg that your lordships will be instrumental to the King and parliament on my behalf.". This humiliation saved his life, but he never regained his liberty, dying in the Tower; but the time is not known. It appears from Maitland, that he resided in a wooden-house, at the upper end of Fitche's-court, Noble-street, Falconsquare. This house strangely escaped in the dreadful fire of London, when the surrounding houses were entirely consumed. He was author of an excellent book, entitled, "A Cluster of Canaan's Grapes."

* Noble's Memoirs of Cromwell, vol. i. p. 416, 417.
+Maitland's History of London, vol. i. p. 762.

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