The Foundery facts for kids
The Foundery, also known as the Foundry, was a very important building in London. It was first used to make brass cannons for the British army. Later, it became the first church for the Wesleyan Methodists in London. This building was a key meeting spot for the early Methodist community. In 1778, the Methodists moved to a new church called Wesley's Chapel, which was built nearby on City Road.
History of The Foundery
Making Cannons
The Foundery was built around 1684 by Matthew Bagley. It was located in an area of London called Moorfields, on Windmill Hill (which is now Tabernacle Street). People sometimes called it the King's Foundery or Bagley's Foundry.
Matthew Bagley came from a family of skilled metal workers who made bells. By 1693, he also ran a bell-making business in another part of London called Clerkenwell.
The Foundery made cannons for the Honourable Artillery Company, a military group nearby. In 1716, the Foundery had a terrible accident. A steam explosion happened because a mold was damp. This accident killed Matthew Bagley and 16 other people. After this, the Foundery closed. A new cannon factory opened around 1717 in Woolwich, southeast of London.
Becoming a Methodist Chapel
In 1739, the building got a new purpose. John Wesley, a famous religious leader, bought the lease for The Foundery. He spent money to fix it up and turn it into the first Methodist chapel in London. There was enough room for 1,500 people to worship.
John Wesley preached his first sermon there on November 11, 1739. Another important Methodist leader, Thomas Maxfield, also preached there in 1742. The very first Methodist conference, a big meeting for leaders, was held at The Foundery in June 1744.
The Foundery complex was more than just a church. It also had a free medical clinic, called a dispensary, which opened in 1746. The Methodists hired a doctor and a pharmacist to help people. The next year, in 1747, a free school opened there. Two teachers taught 60 children. In 1747, a lending society started, which helped people borrow money. By 1748, there was also a building next door that provided homes for poor people, called an almshouse.
The Methodist community used The Foundery until 1778. Then, they moved to the new Wesley's Chapel, which was built specifically for them nearby.
