Tired of London, Tired of Life - A website about things to do in London

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2 July 2014

Visit John Wesley's House

Found within the grounds of Wesley's Chapel on City Road, Wesley's House was built to Methodism founder John Wesley's requirements in 1779, and provided a base for him for the last twelve years of his life, staying here in winter to write and preach in London and spending the summers touring the country evangelising to anyone who would listen. Indeed, Wesley would often preach outside until his last open air sermon in the fields at Winchelsea in Sussex in October 1790 - well into his eighties - and a framed picture of this sermon is found within the house.


Now Grade I listed, the house underwent extensive work in the 1890s, when museum was first opened, but stepping inside with the help of a well briefed guide, it still has all the major features of an eighteenth century town house, and the rooms are full of artefacts that are contemporary to Wesley's residence here. For Methodists, the most important room is Wesley's small plain prayer room, off his bedroom, where he would spend hours each day reading and praying. We are told that Methodists around the world consider the room the Power House of Methodism, and there is certainly something special about it.

For more, see http://www.wesleyschapel.org.uk/house.htm

2 comments:

  1. I would love to visit Wesley's home. How many of the four storeys did he live in? And why have the side windows all been bricked in?

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  2. He lived on at least two floors and there were others for kitchens and preachers bedrooms. I asked about the side windows and was told they had never been windows in the first place. Very odd

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