Broken Wharfe
Confessional Baptist Resources
About Us
Broken Wharfe exists to glorify Christ and edify his church in the UK and Europe through the production, republication and dissemination of confessional Baptist resources
“… recommended to the churches by the General Assembly that met at Broken Wharfe in London 1689.”
[Bagnio/Cripplegate Church Minute Book 1695-1723, Angus Library, Regent’s Park College, Oxford, unnumbered page facing page 26.]
We are a distinctly confessional Baptist resource base in the UK consistent with the faith and life characterised by those churches affirming the Second London Baptist Confession of Faith.
Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates
Discover more below
The Meeting House at
Broken Wharfe
Counting the Cost
2
Contending Earnestly for the Faith
3
Confessing the Faith
4
The Meeting House at Broken Wharfe
“Broken Wharfe, according to Stow, is ‘so called of being broken and fallen into the Thames;’ but others have affirmed that it was here old worn-out vessels were broken up.”
In the late 17th Century a church led by Hanserd Knollys and Robert Steed, gathered in a meeting-house at Broken Wharfe.
"Here stood a large old building, formerly belonging to the Dukes of Norfolk, but since, to the city of London...During the reign of William the third, a portion of this building was let out for a meeting-house."
Counting the Cost
The church that met at Broken Wharfe experienced considerable trials during a time of social, political and ecclesiastical unrest. For instance, it was not uncommon for their pastor to be arrested for preaching.
“By virtue of the Acts of Parliament, touching private Meetings and Conventicles, Commencing May the 10th 1670, I was taken at a Meeting in George-yard, and then Lord Mayor committed me to the Compter [prison] in Bishops-gate for preaching there”
Contending Earnestly for the Faith
How did confessional Baptists, such as Hanserd Knollys, endure the trials of the Christian life?
“The spiritual sights of the glory of God, the divine sweetness of the spiritual and providential presence of my Lord Jesus Christ, and the joys and comforts of the Holy and Eternal Spirit, communicated to my soul; together with suitable and seasonable scriptures of truth; have so often, and so powerfully revived, refreshed, and strengthened my heart in the days of my pilgrimage, trials, and sufferings, that the sense, yea the life and sweetness thereof abides still upon my heart, and hath engaged my soul to live by faith, to walk humbly, and to desire and endeavour to excel in holiness, to God’s glory and the example of others.”
Such an example represents the convictions of confessional Baptists who were active in promoting biblical church associations summarised in the Second London Baptist Confession of Faith.
“Mr. Knollys…survived all these political persecutions, and we find him after the Revolution in 1688 particularly active in promoting the Union [association] and prosperity of the Baptist Churches by a general Assembly in London. His church met at this period at Broken Wharfe”
Confessing the Faith
Thus, in September 1689, more than 100 churches were represented by messengers to formally ‘own’ the Second London Baptist Confession of Faith published in 1677. This meeting was hosted at Broken Wharfe in London.
