GLOVERS-HALL.-Extinct.

of which he was pastor, became extinct in the year 1702.

After the dissolution of Mr. Long's church, GloversHall passed successively into various hands, but it was never occupied for any length of time by any one society. The celebrated Dr. Daniel Williams, sometime before his death, purchased the reversion of the lease of Glovers'-Hall, and left it, with his other estates, to charitable purposes. But his executors were involved in a law-suit with the person from whom he purchased the reversion, and who pleaded another agreement, annulling the former one, upon the payment of a sum specified. This person, however, not appearing in court, the suit was dropped.*

In the year 1758, Glovers'-Hall belonged to the Baptists. About that time a Mr. Lee was minister there; but we know nothing concerning him, nor the society of which he was pastor. An aged and respectable member of this denomination has informed us, that Mr. Lee was reckoned a great preacher, but at the same time a notorious liar. He seems to have preached at Glovers'-Hall several years. Mr. John Pryer, also a popular minister among the Baptists, had a lecture here, which he quitted in October 1740. The farewell sermon that he delivered upon this occasion, he afterwards published. Mr. John Bernard, an independent minister, preached at Glovers'-Hall, previous to his em- . bracing Sandemanianism. About the year 1760, the celebrated Mr. Robert Sandeman, occupied Glovers'-Hall; and we think that Mr. Glass also preached there. Many years afterwards, the late Mr. David Bradbury was the minister there. About the year 1793, Glovers'-Hall was taken upon lease by a society of Baptist Sandemanians, who were followers of Mr. Archibald Maclean, a well known and respectable minister in Scotland, and a celebrated writer. This people continued at Glovers'-Hall about eight years,

Calamy's Contin. p. 994.

when they removed to an old meeting-house in Red-Crossstreet, where they now assemble. After their departure, the place was let out to a secular purpose, and converted into a carpenter's shop, which is its present state.

Before we dismiss the present article, we will just observe, that in former times several persons of distinction had their town residences in this neighbourhood. In Beechlane are still to be seen the remains of the house of Prince Rupert. King Charles the Second paid him a visit there; on which occasion the ringers of Cripplegate had a guinea for complimenting the royal visitors with a peal. GarterPlace was another great house in this quarter. It was built by Sir Thomas Writhsley, garter king of arms, and uncle to the first Earl of Southampton. In Golden-lane stood the nursery of King Henry VIII. which in the reign of Elizabeth, and James I. was used as a play-house. General Monk, afterwards Duke of Albermarle, had a mansion in this neighbourhood. In Beech-lane there are some almshouses belonging to the Drapers' Company.*

BARBICAN.

INDEPENDENT.

THE Word BARBICAN is of Saxon original, and signifies an outwork, or watch-tower. It was an appendage to most fortified places. The Saxons gave them the title of BurghKenning. The Romans, who built that which we now speak of, called them Specula, which answers to our Eng

• Pennant's London, &c.

BARBICAN.-Independent.

lish word watch-tower. They were esteemed so important, that the custody was always committed to some man of rank. The Roman Specula lay a little to the north of this street, Here was of old a manor-house of the king's, called BuseCourt, or Barbican, destroyed in 1251, but afterwards restored, and in the reign of Edward III. bestowed on Robert Ufford, Earl of Suffolk, who was also entrusted with the care of the Tower. It descended by the marriage of Cecilia, one of his daughters, to Sir John Willoughby, afterwards Lord Willoughby of Parham. In the reign of Queen Mary, of bloody memory, it was possessed by Katherine, widow of Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, in her own right Baroness Willoughby of Eresby; and the wife of Thomas Bertie, ancestor of the Duke of Ancaster. She was a very pious woman, and, like her husband, an enemy to popery. In her zeal she dressed a dog, (whom she had named after Gardiner,) in a rocket, or surplice, worn by the bishops. The persecution which then raged against the Protestants, compelled them both to retire into Germany till the danger was over. The Earls of Bridgwater had also a house in the Barbican, on the site of which Bridgwatersquare now stands.

In the reign of William the Third, the nonconformists had a meeting-house somewhere about Barbican; but where it was situated, or indeed any particulars relating to the society that met there, we have not been able to ascertain, All that we know respecting it is, that a Mr. Andrew Burnett was the pastor in 1695, and that the church became extinct with him in 1707.

The present meeting-house, which stands on the south side of Barbican, nearly opposite to Bridgwater-square, and at the corner of Paul's-alley, was built in the year 1784, for the late Mr. John Towers, at an expence of about eleven hundred pounds. It is a neat brick-building, of a square form, and rather small in dimensions. During the lifetime of Mr. Towers, the galleries went round the whole building;

BARBICAN.. - Independent.

but after the accession of the present minister, the place was thoroughly repaired, and the back gallery taken down. This was a considerable improvement, and has given the place a larger appearance. The society assembling there, which is of the Independent denomination, originated in a separation from the church in Jewin-street, after the death of Mr. Hart, in 1768. Those who disapproved of the choice of Mr. Hughes for his successor, withdrew, and assembled a short time for public worship, at a private house in Noblestreet, where they chose Mr. Towers for their minister. In 1769, they took a lease of the ancient meeting-house in Bartholomew-Close, and entered upon it at the Midsummer in that year. They continued at that place exactly fifteen years, and at Midsummer 1784, removed into the above meeting-house in Barbican, which they had erected for their own use. At the time of the separation, there were only thirteen members; but Mr. Towers was successful in raising a flourishing church, and left behind him, at his death, upwards of two hundred. From respect to the memory of Mr. Hart, he adopted his hymns in public worship, in conjunction with those of Dr. Watts. This church has been lately taken upon the Independent board. It has had but the two following pastors:

JOHN TOWERS.-This excellent and useful minister was born about the year 1747, in the borough of Southwark. In the early part of his life he entered the sea serviee; but at the solicitation of his parents he left it, after making two or three voyages, one to Greenland, the others to the West Indies. He was then apprenticed to a packer,

BARBICAN.-Independent.

in Turnwheel-lane, Cannon-street. Here it was that his extraordinary abilities began to shew themselves; for long before the expiration of his indenture, he discovered a serious regard for religion, and at his vacant hours, employed himself most indefatigably in the study of the Holy Scriptures, both in the original and vulgar tongues. In a short time he became acquainted with the various readings, both Jewish and Christian, and was esteemed a judicious critic of the Hebrew Bible.

1

Mr. Towers began to preach very early in life, we have been told before the expiration of his apprenticeship, which obtained him the appellation of " The London Apprentice." His piety, zeal, and acquirements attracted the attention of several persons who were members of the Independent church in Jewin-street. Having lost their excellent pastor, Mr. Joseph Hart, who was of the Podo-Baptist denomination, his brother-in-law, Mr. John Hughes, a worthy minisier among the Baptists, was chosen his successor, which occasioned a division in the society. Those persons who withdrew, invited our young preacher to officiate to them for a few Sundays; and after due consideration, solicited him to undertake the office of pastor. This he accepted, and was ordained at the meeting-house in BartholomewClose, in the year 1769.

Mr. Towers' youth, eloquence, and criticism, added to the solemnity of his addresses, drew vast numbers to hear him, and he soon had a flourishing church and congregation. After continuing fifteen years at Bartholomew-Close, his people erected a new meeting-house in Barbican, to which place they removed in the summer of 1784. Here, for the space of twenty years, he continued the faithful and vigilant pastor of a numerous and happy society.

Soon after his entrance on the pastoral office, Mr. Towers married his first wife, a worthy and amiable woman; and, that he might not be burthensome to his friends, he opened a day-school, in the vestry-room of his meeting. Here,