John Wesley was by any account a remarkable man, although perhaps not always a happy man. I came across the Wesley Chapel when visiting Bunhill Fields with Bradshaw.
John Wesley’s first Chapel, The Foundery, was in Tabernacle Street, just behind City Road. Cannon captured in war were brought to the building for recasting, but in 1716 a huge explosion blew the roof off the building. Foundry work was moved to The Arsenal, Woolwich, and the building stood unused until 1739 when Wesley preached there. It was this building which Wesley bought and repaired. By the 1770s it was too small and a new Wesley Chapel was designed by George Dance the Younger and built 1777-78 in City Road, on a piece of ground opposite Bunhill Fields.
The Chapel Keeper’s House (1865) on the south side, adjoining the Chapel.
The Manse (1898) on the north side.
John Wesley’s home was built alongside the Chapel, in 1779, and he died here in 1791 and was buried behind the Chapel.
You may be interested in
Wesley’s Chapel & Leysian Mission
A short history of John Wesley and the Chapels in London
London Gardens Online
Candy Blackham
Oh, I look forward to the post. Ideas keep popping up, and here is another – Wesleyan Chapels!
runner500
That’s a really attractive Wesleyan Chapel – but lots of them are real gems. Oddly, I came across John Wesley a couple of days ago reading up for a post I will do in a few weeks – apparently his first ever ‘field’ preaching was at Whitefield’s Mount on Blackheath.