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Article EARLY HAUNTS OF FREEMASONRY. ← Page 2 of 7 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Early Haunts Of Freemasonry.
excepted ; but in 1697 it was deprived of this questionable privilege . At No . 67 , corner of Whitefriars Street—formerly Water Lane—lived Thomas Tompion , the famous watchmaker of Queen Anne ' s reign , who , in 1700 , is said to have begun a clock for St . Paul ' s that was to go for a hundred years without winding up . His apprentice , George
Graham , invented , according to Mr . Noble , the horizontal escapement in 1724 . Close by ( No . 64 ) , but much altered , is the Bolt-in-tun Inn , which is mentioned as a grant to the White Friars in 1443 as " Hospitium vocatum le Boltenton , " the sign being a bolt or arrow partly in a tun . The alley is spoken of as having been a resort of
coaches and horses , especially in term time . Going further eastward we come to St . Bride ' s Church , which is of great antiquity . As far back as 1235 , a turbulent foreigner , one Henry de Battle , after slaying Thomas de Hall on the Kings hi ghway , sought sanctuary here , and was guarded by the aldermen and
sheriffs , and examined by the Constable of the Tower . In 1480 , William Vinor , a warden of the Fleet , added a body and side aisles . In 1642 , Mr . Palmer being the vicar at the time , the living was sequestered . Of this worthy man it was said , that in order to save money for the poor , he lived in a bed-chamber in the church steeple . Pepys' brother was buried here in 1664 , soon after which the church
was destroyed by the Great Fire . It was rebuilt , however , in 1680 , the cost of the outer structure being defrayed out of moneys raised b y an imposition on coals ; while , as regards the pews , galleries , and inner work , the cost was defrayed by the parishioners and benefactors . The tower and spire were regarded as masterpieces of Sir Christopher
Wren , the latter being originally 234 feet high . In 1754 , and again in 1803 , it was struck by lightning , and is now onl y 226 feet high . Mr . Noble , in his narrative derived from the parish records , speaks at length of the musical feats accomplished on the bells of this church . In 1710 ten bells were cast for it by Abraham Rudhall , of Gloucester ,
and in 1718 two treble bells were added . On 9 th January , 1724 , was rung by the college youths the first complete peal on twelve bells in this country . Two years later was rung the first peal of Bob Maximus , Mr . Francis , afterwards Admiral , Geary , being one of the ringers ; indeed , on this latter occasion , everyone of the ringers is
said to have left the church in his own carriage . Among the great people that lie in and around St . Bride ' s , according to the aforesaid Mr . Noble ' s extracts from the registers , are Wynkyn de Worde , the second printer in London ; Baker , the chronicler ; Lovelace , the cavalier poet , who died of want in Gunpowder Alley , Shoe Lane ; O gilby , the translator of Homer ; the Countess of Orrery ; and Hardman , the noted tobacconist . Inside the church are monuments to Richardson ,
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Early Haunts Of Freemasonry.
excepted ; but in 1697 it was deprived of this questionable privilege . At No . 67 , corner of Whitefriars Street—formerly Water Lane—lived Thomas Tompion , the famous watchmaker of Queen Anne ' s reign , who , in 1700 , is said to have begun a clock for St . Paul ' s that was to go for a hundred years without winding up . His apprentice , George
Graham , invented , according to Mr . Noble , the horizontal escapement in 1724 . Close by ( No . 64 ) , but much altered , is the Bolt-in-tun Inn , which is mentioned as a grant to the White Friars in 1443 as " Hospitium vocatum le Boltenton , " the sign being a bolt or arrow partly in a tun . The alley is spoken of as having been a resort of
coaches and horses , especially in term time . Going further eastward we come to St . Bride ' s Church , which is of great antiquity . As far back as 1235 , a turbulent foreigner , one Henry de Battle , after slaying Thomas de Hall on the Kings hi ghway , sought sanctuary here , and was guarded by the aldermen and
sheriffs , and examined by the Constable of the Tower . In 1480 , William Vinor , a warden of the Fleet , added a body and side aisles . In 1642 , Mr . Palmer being the vicar at the time , the living was sequestered . Of this worthy man it was said , that in order to save money for the poor , he lived in a bed-chamber in the church steeple . Pepys' brother was buried here in 1664 , soon after which the church
was destroyed by the Great Fire . It was rebuilt , however , in 1680 , the cost of the outer structure being defrayed out of moneys raised b y an imposition on coals ; while , as regards the pews , galleries , and inner work , the cost was defrayed by the parishioners and benefactors . The tower and spire were regarded as masterpieces of Sir Christopher
Wren , the latter being originally 234 feet high . In 1754 , and again in 1803 , it was struck by lightning , and is now onl y 226 feet high . Mr . Noble , in his narrative derived from the parish records , speaks at length of the musical feats accomplished on the bells of this church . In 1710 ten bells were cast for it by Abraham Rudhall , of Gloucester ,
and in 1718 two treble bells were added . On 9 th January , 1724 , was rung by the college youths the first complete peal on twelve bells in this country . Two years later was rung the first peal of Bob Maximus , Mr . Francis , afterwards Admiral , Geary , being one of the ringers ; indeed , on this latter occasion , everyone of the ringers is
said to have left the church in his own carriage . Among the great people that lie in and around St . Bride ' s , according to the aforesaid Mr . Noble ' s extracts from the registers , are Wynkyn de Worde , the second printer in London ; Baker , the chronicler ; Lovelace , the cavalier poet , who died of want in Gunpowder Alley , Shoe Lane ; O gilby , the translator of Homer ; the Countess of Orrery ; and Hardman , the noted tobacconist . Inside the church are monuments to Richardson ,