Stepney

Stepny

51.5152°N, 0.0462°W

Fundraising Tour of Great Britain

A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 11, Stepney, Bethnal Green. Ed. TFT Baker. London: Victoria County History, 1998. British History Online. Web. http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/middx/vol11/pp81-83; Lysons, Daniel. “Stepney." The Environs of London: Volume 3, County of Middlesex. London: T Cadell and W Davies, 1795. 418-488. British History Online. Web. http://www.british-history.ac.uk/london-environs/vol3/pp418-488; "Stepney Meeting House." Stepney Meeting House. Web. http://stepneymeeting.urc.org.uk/?page_id=127; Thornbury, Walter. “Stepney." Old and New London: Volume 2. London: Cassell, Petter & Galpin, 1878. 137-142. British History Online. Web. http://www.british-history.ac.uk/old-new-london/vol2/pp137-142; Geo coordinates at https://www.google.com/#q=geographic+coordinates+of+stepney+england.

Stepney is a district between the Thames River and Mile End Road in the East End of London that developed out of Stibenhede, a medieval village surrounding St. Dunstan’s Church. Because of its docks and Mile End Road, a busy thoroughfare running east from London, Stepney expanded in the 16th century, and in the 17th century, it became a locus for Protestant dissenters, independents, and separatists who were forced to meet outside London. In 1644, a congregation of dissenters began to meet in the area and created the Stepney Meeting in 1674, also known as the Broad Street Church, which became the largest dissenting congregation in London. From 1746 until 1796, Reverend Samuel Brewer, a close associate of George Whitefield and a popular figure in London religious circles, preached at Stepney Meeting. In 1765, Brewer was one of the eminent clergymen who welcomed Occom and Whitaker to London during their fundraising tour, using Stepney Meeting as a base to connect Occom to other area churches. While in London, Occom preached at Stepney Meeting several times to crowded audiences and raised a significant amount of money for Wheelock’s school. Today, Stepney is a working-class, immigrant neighborhood home to many post-war tower blocks and housing estates.