The Quaker Meeting House, Kingswell Street.
During their early days, the Quakers of Northampton were severely persecuted. Many were arrested and held in the gaol. For example, in 1659 Margaret Palmer was held for 27 months “in close confined among Murderers, Thieves, Whores, and some called Witches, in a close nasty place, where her friends were not admitted to see her, otherwise than through the key-hole of the door.”
“in close confined among Murderers, Thieves, Whores, and some called Witches…”
On 3 September 1660 the House of Lords noted, “That there are great Multitudes of Anabaptists and Quakers, that assemble themselves together in great Numbers, to the endangering the Peace of the County of North’ton; and that they scatter abroad seditious Papers against Ministry.” It was ordered “That it be recommended to the Justices of the next Assize for that County, to give special Charge and Directions to the Justices of Peace, and all other Officers, to take Care to suppress and prevent such Meetings; and that the Sheriff of the County do take special Care to prevent such riotous Meetings, and preserve the Peace of that County.”
The Quaker Meeting House
By the end of 1660 it was claimed that there were around forty prisoners being held in “the Low-Gaol, twelve Steps underground.” Contemporary accounts note that they were “locked up every night among Felons, and in Winter the Gaoler kept the door fast sixteen hours together, and they lay so close one by another, that he who was up last could hardly let his Foot between them to go to the Place where he should lie.” Friends were not allowed to visit them, and food and necessaries were often kept from them.
However, in 1662 after they became more accepted, the Quakers purchased a barn and a small piece of ground in Crackbowl Lane (now Swan Street) where meetings were held from 1668.
In 1662 the Quakers became more accepted.
In 1705 a new meeting house was built in Kingswell Street, where they would continue to meet for the next 125 years. The 316 year old building still survives today and although it looks like another industrial building from the front, have a look down the side of the jitty where its arched windows can be clearly seen. In 1830 a new meeting house was built on land on Wellington Street, which was acquired from a Quaker named William Collins. They still meet there today.
The 316 year old building still survives today.
Mike Ingram MA, Historian, Author, and Freeman of the ancient borough
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