Horsham district man’s vital USA link

On this day (October 14) in 1644 one William Penn was born in London.

The man was destined to found a US state, become a renowned Quaker and be a fierce advocate for religious freedom!

His Horsham district association began in 1676 when he bought a house near the parish church of Warminghurst, between Thakeham and Ashington.

In nearby Coolham Penn helped oversee the conversion of a timber-framed building into a permanent Quaker meeting house.

It is now known as Blue Idol Meeting House (because of the blue wash on the plaster and the period of inactivity – ‘idle’) and still used. Penn and his family were regular visitors.

In 1681 King Charles II gave Penn land in North America to offset debts he owed the Quaker’s father.

The following year Penn traveled over and, after a trip up the Delaware River, founded Philadelphia in an area that had become Pennsylvania.

Back home, Penn wrote numerous works, many advocating religious tolerance, a stance that led to him being imprisoned in the Tower of London on occasion.

Sadly, his later years were spent embroiled in legal and monetary disputes and, after suffering strokes, he died penniless in 1718.

However, his legacy is strong, particularly in Pennsylvania, with statues, schools, roads etc named after him.

Horsham Museum holds one of Penn’s many literary works, plus various photos of the Blue Idol.