List of places of worship in London, 1738 facts for kids
A list of places of worship in London was put together for William Maitland's book History of London in 1739. This list was special because it was the first of its kind to include more than just Church of England churches. It showed all the different religions that were officially practiced in London at the time. For about 20 years, this list was copied into other books without being updated.
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London's Historic Places of Worship (1739)
In 1739, London was a busy city with many different religious groups. William Maitland's list gives us a peek into how people worshipped back then. It helps us understand the religious diversity of London almost 300 years ago.
Church of England
The Church of England was the main church in England. Maitland's list included 76 churches and 68 chapels belonging to the Church of England in London. These were the most common places of worship you would find.
Some examples of these churches included:
- St Andrew Holborn
- St Bride Fleet Street
- St Giles Cripplegate
- St Paul Covent Garden
- St Mary Whitechapel
Presbyterians
Presbyterians were another Christian group. They had their own places of worship called "meeting houses." In 1739, there were 28 Presbyterian meeting houses listed in London.
Some of these included:
- Bethnal Green meeting
- Crosby Square meeting
- Old Jewry meeting
Independents
The Independents were a group of Christians who believed each church should be independent and govern itself. They also had meeting houses. Maitland's list showed 26 Independent meeting houses in London.
A few examples were:
- Hare Court meeting
- Jewin Street meeting
- Stepney meeting
Baptists
Baptists are a Christian group known for baptizing believers by immersion. The list from 1739 included 33 Baptist meeting houses.
One notable Baptist minister mentioned was John Gill, who preached at Horselydown in Southwark from 1720.
Quakers
Quakers, also known as the Religious Society of Friends, are a religious group that believes in a direct relationship with God. They had 12 meeting houses in London.
Some of their meeting places were:
- Bull and Mouth meeting
- Gracechurch Street meeting
- Wapping meeting
Other Christian Groups
Besides the larger groups, there were also other Christian denominations in London:
- Scottish Presbyterians: They had three meeting houses.
- Catholic Chapels: There were six Catholic chapels, often linked to embassies. One other Catholic chapel was also listed.
- Other Chapels: The list also mentioned three non-juror chapels, two Muggletonian chapels, and two Camisard chapels.
Stranger Churches
London was a global city even then, with people from many different countries. These groups often had their own churches, sometimes called "stranger churches."
- There were 21 Huguenot chapels (for French Protestants who had fled France).
- Two Dutch churches.
- Three Lutheran churches.
- Churches for Danish, Swedish, and Russian communities.
Synagogues
The list also included three synagogues, which are places of worship for Jewish people. This shows that the Jewish community was also an important part of London's religious landscape.
See also
