Consistory Court, Saturda...
The Times, 1824-06-28T00:00:00

The church of St. IVMartin, Olgar, was clestroved by the great fire of London, A. D. 1,666. At the time of its proposed re-erection, application was made by tlhe Frenci Protestants in London for per- mission to purchase a piece of the ground atached to ic, in order to erect a church for the celebration of their worship. The church was built accordinglv, on the site of the old parish church, the church- yard being reserved for the uses of the parish generally. The per- mission obtained in the reign of Charles I l. was confirmed by a pri- vate act of Parliament, passed under William III. But the French church, having long since fallen into utter desuetude and decav, Dr. SWAB EY now applied for the faculty of the Court to reemove the structure, which is in a very dilapidated State, so as to enlarge the nrsRant churrcbvard. &r. Sir CHiRISTOPHiERL RoBINsoN said, this was an application of a very inportant and ratlhera novel nature. Of late vears there had been applieations for faculties to take down decayed ch'urches, but they were generally promoted at ti-e instanee of- Bishops and others in high quarters. In the present case, however, the Court would be disposed to do every thing that was right and necessary for all parties; but there were come points on which it would desire some satisfaction before it enuld grant the faculty. By the lanRuage of the private act of Parliament which the Court had been referred to, and had looked at, the act of 1699, it seemed that the church then in question was demolished, or about to be demolished. After that, a lease of the Rite of that edifice was granted for a particular purpose, on which another church was soon built. That hadl likewise gone to decay. As to this church for the use of F'rench Protestants- Dr. SWABETY said as far as he could inform the Court from the allegation to lead tie decree for facultv, it seemed tbat Kiing Jamres IT., in the second year of hiis reign, granted his licence to the French Proteatants resident in fs,ndon to assem.ble in Jewih- street, Aldgate. These foreigners did assemble there for sorne time, ani afterwards removed to a chapel on College-hill. 'This latter place being found inconvenient, however, the rector and churchwardens of St. Mlartin Olgar granted the lease of a part of their land for the erection oF a church in which Frendc Protestants mightassemble for thecelebration of divine worship. rt had become very much dismantled -was totally disused-and on this account it was nronosed to talke it down and remove it. The COURT said, it was a pity this French Charch had not been better taken care of It would be desirable that the Court should be informed who the patron of the living was, and that it should itself inspect the church, in order to ascertain its oresent state. On thcse accounts tke learned Judgc directed the Ilegistrar to advise the churchwardens, that he would visit thc French church at St. MJartin Olgar, on Tuesday next,.accomnpnied by Dr. Swabey. The cause of " Hulm and Huilm" stood for argument and sen- tence; but the learned Judge postponed it to next court dav, express- ing his regret that he could not now sit any longer, being obliged to attend the Privy Coancil on some Frcnch appeals. CONSISTORY COURT. SATURDAY. JUNE 2fi. 1IOLLAH ANfD STEVENS, CHUBCHUWARDENS OF ST. MVARlTIN OLGAR.,AGAINSTTHEURECTORANDINHABITANTSTHEREOF.