YORK-BUILDINGS.Independent, Extinct.

ford, Herts, where he continued five or six years, and then removed to Harlow, in Essex. There he staid about five years, when he made his last earthly removal to Hammersmith. He was connected for some time with the Baptist congregation in that town, but resigned previously to his death, which happened Nov. 24, 1803, when he was 54 years of age.* It may be expected that we should refer to the circumstances attending his removal from Shrewsbury, and which in a great measure influenced his subsequent changes. They related to some money transactions, the particulars of which are detailed in a pamphlet published by the Rev. John Martin, in 1795, and entitled, "The Case of the Rev. John Sandys," &c. in which he is entirely exculpated from any blame in that matter.

YORK-BUILDINGS.

INDEPENDENT.-EXTINCT.

In the early part of the last century there was a meeting

N

house in York-buildings in the Strand, occupied by a society of Independents; but very little is known concerning it. Maitland omits it in his list of places licensed in 1758; nor is it mentioned in the manuscript account of London Churches, so often referred to in this work. It is, however, enumerated in a list of churches in the year 1727; and we find a reference made to it as far back as 1688. In the year last mentioned, Mr. STRETTON, jun. son to Mr. Richard Stretton, ejected from Petworth in Sussex, and

From the information of the Rev. John Martin.

YORK-BUILDINGS.-Independent, Extinct.

mentioned in this work, was the settled minister in Yorkbuildings. With the history of Mr. Stretton, jun. we are entirely unacquainted, nor do we know the name of his suc

cessor.

In the year 1727, Mr. JOHN BOND was the pastor of this society. We know nothing of the history of this gentleman, excepting that he died in February, 1740, at the age of 43. It is probable that his church dissolved some years before his death, otherwise Maitland would have mentioned the meeting-house. His congregation must at one period have been considerable; as, we find that, in 1727, he had two assistants. These were Mr. JOSEPH ASTLEY, and Mr. JOHN FLETCHER. Mr. ASTLEY removed to Guestwick in Norfolk, in October 1729, and in March in 1732, was discharged for irregularities. He afterwards conformed, and received episcopal ordination from the bishop of Norwich. Mr. FLETCHER was son to a minister at Hull in Yorkshire, and educated under Dr. Ridgley, in London. He began his ministry as assistant to Mr. Bond, and at the latter end of 1728 removed to Bradfield in Norfolk, where he was ordained in August, the following year. In this obscure situation he continued all his days, though a man of considerable abilities. He died June 30, 1773. A very honourable character of him, drawn up, it is said, by a gentleman of the establishment who perfectly knew him, appeared not long after in one of the public papers of the county of Norfolk.

• See Haberdashers'-hall,

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ST. MARTIN'S-LANE.

PRESBYTERIAN.-EXTINCT.

In the latter part of the seventeenth century, the Presbyterians had a meeting-house in St. Martin's-lane, probably the one in St. Peter's-court, now occupied by the Quakers. As the church existed but a few years, and expired in the early part of the succeeding century, very little can now be gathered of its history. Mr. Gabriel Sangar, who was ejected from the parish of St. Martin's, gathered the society from amongst his former hearers, and preached to them as often as the turbulent state of the times would allow. He was a grave and peaceable Divine, but met with much rough usage as well under the persecution of Laud, as after the Restoration. Upon being silenced he thought it his duty to remain in the parish with his former flock, and to visit them that desired him, especially during the pestilence. The Oxford Act drove him from place to place; but when the king issued his declaration for liberty, his former hearers intreated him to return, and he preached to them amidst much unmanly opposition from his successor, Dr. Lamplugh, till the time of his death, which happened in May, 1678, when he had completed his 70th year.*

We cannot discover the name of Mr. Sangar's successor, and only know that a Mr. HUMPHREYS was the last pastor. The manuscript of London Churches before quoted says, that the church dissolved in 1714; but that event probably took place a few years earlier. Mr. Patrick Russel, who gathered the church in Crown-court about 1710, preached first in St. Martin's-lane, and some of his people had been members of the old church.

*Calamy's Acc. p. 27.

GREAT CASTLE-STREET, LEICESTER FIELDS.

THIS was originally a French Protestant chapel, and stood

row.

on the eastern side of the street, not far from Hemming'sIt was built at the expence of the government in the reign of Charles II. for the Refugees who fled to this country for protection from the persecution of Louis XIV. Their number was at that time very considerable, but being diminished by death, the remnant left this place about half a century ago, in favour of a smaller one situated in Moorstreet, Soho, where a small interest still assembles. Maitland mentions this place in his list, under the year 1738. When the French Protestants left it, the place was occupied successively by various societies, chiefly for temporary purposes; but, it is appprehended that no distinct church was ever formed there. The Scots church in Crown-court engaged the place for a short period whilst their own was repairing. It has been disused as a place of worship for more than twenty years, and is now the Court of Requests.

There has subsisted for a number of years a society of religious persons, who meet on a Thursday evening, after the hours of business, in a private house, on the opposite side of the street. The persons who compose this assembly are of the Calvinistic persuasion, and conduct the worship amongst themselves, any member having the privilege of praying and exhorting.

ORANGE-STREET.

CALVINISTIC METHODISTS.

ALTHOUGH LTHOUGH the people who meet at the above place, do not strictly fall under the denomination of Dissenters, yet, as the place is licensed under the Act of Toleration, and is supplied by ministers who call themselves Dissenters, there would be an impropriety, in excluding it altogether from a place in the present work.

ORANGE-STREET Chapel belonged originally to the French Protestant Refugees, and was erected for their use in the reign of King Charles II. The successors of these much injured persons continued to occupy the place till the year 1776, when the well-known Mr. Toplady entered into an engagement with the trustees for the use of the chapel on Sunday and Wednesday evenings. It was upon this spot that he closed his ministerial labours, after a term of two years and three months, in the year 1778.

Mr. Toplady was assisted in his ministerial work by Dr. ILLINGWORTH, who supplied his lectures during his last illness. But he was succeeded in his regular engagements at Orange-street by that late valuable minister and eminent preacher, Mr. RICHARD CECIL. With him was associated the Rev. HENRY FOSTER, the present minister of Clerkenwell; and the late Mr. JOHN EYRE, of Rams Chapel, Homerton, occasionally gave his assistance. In the course of a short period, Mr. Cecil and Mr. Foster entered into an engagement with the parishioners of St. Martin's, for the use of the chapel of ease in Long Acre, which having obtained, they removed the congregation from Orange-street to that place. After their removal, the French Protestants not being able to support the expences of the chapel in Orange-street, were obliged to relinquish it, and the place was shut up. In a short time it was reopened by some persons who being likewise unable to sup