His opposition to revealed religion drew from Johnson this severe remark: "Having loaded a blunderbuss and pointed it against Christianity he had not the courage to discharge it himself, but left a half-crown to a hungry Scotchman to pull the trigger after his death."
Oliver Goldsmith in his life of Lord Bolingbroke says: "In whatever light we view his character, we shall find him an object rather more proper for our wonder than our imitation; more to be feared than esteemed, and gaining our admiration without our love. His ambition ever aimed at the summit of power, and nothing seemed capable of satisfying his immoderate desires but the liberty of governing all things without a rival."
On the site of the demolished part of Bolingbroke House,[1] a horizontal Air Mill was erected in 1790, of a conical form, 140 feet in height, and having a mean diameter of 50 feet; it was 54 feet at the base and 45 at the top. It was originally applied to the grinding of linseed for oil, and subsequently by Messrs. Hodgson, Weller and Allaway, of malt for the Distilleries, which were at that time in extensive operation here. Mr. Thomas Fowler erected this mill, the design was taken from that of another on a smaller scale, constructed at Margate by Capt. Hooper. It consisted of a circular wheel, with large boards or vanes fixed parallel to its axis; and upon the vanes the wind acted as to blow the wheel round, one side of it being sheltered from the action of the wind by its being enclosed in frame work, with doors or shutters to open and admit the wind, or to shut and stop it. If all the shutters on one side were open, whilst all those on the opposite were closed, the wind acting with diminished force on the vanes of one side, whilst the opposite vanes were under shelter, turned the mill round; but whenever the wind changed, the disposition of the blinds had to be altered, to admit the wind to strike upon the vanes of the wheels in the direction of a tangent to the circle in which they moved.—Dr. Paris's Philosophy in Sport. "The Mill," says Mr. Timbs, "resembled a gigantic packing case, which gave rise to an odd story, that when the Emperor of Russia was in England in 1814, he took a fancy to Battersea Church and determined to carry it off to Russia, and had this large packing case made for it; but as the inhabitants refused to let the Church be carried away, so the case remained on the spot where it was deposited." The Mill served as a landmark for miles around, being more conspicuous an object at that time than the lofty square tower of Watney's Distillery a little further westward is now. At length the upper part of the Mill was taken down; the lower part is still used for grinding corn. Capper, referring to this Mill, says, "it had 96 shutters, which though only 9 inches broad, reached to the height of 80 feet; these by means of a rope, opened and shut in the manner of Venetian blinds. In the inside, the main shaft of the Mill was the centre of a large circle formed by the sails, which consisted of 96 double planks placed perpendicularly, and the same height as the shutters; through these shutters the wind passing turned the Mill with great rapidity, which was increased or diminished by opening or shutting the apertures. In it were six pairs of stones, in which two pair more might be added. Adjacent were Bullock Houses capable of holding 650 bullocks, which were fed with the grains and meal from the Distilleries."
[1] The part left standing formed a dwelling house for Mr. Hodgson.
St. Mary's Church.
ST. MARY'S CHURCH forms an interesting object from the water. It was re-built by Act of Parliament passed 14 Geo. 3. The former church, which was built of brick, was found to be in such a dilapidated state that the Vestry deemed it more than desirable to erect a new church than to enlarge and repair the old one. Their unanimous resolution in this respect met with the sanction of Earl Spencer; his lordship in compliance with a petition generously granted the petitioners in the year 1772 a piece of ground, etc. for the enlargement of the church yard. During the re-building of the church, divine service was conducted in the tabernacle at the Workhouse. The cost of its erection was about £5,000, which sum was raised by a brief by the sale of certain pews for 99 years, by the sale of some estates or docks belonging to the Parish, and by granting annuities on lives; the leases expired Michaelmas, 1876. It was opened for divine service November 17, 1777. The ground given by the Earl Spencer for the enlargement of the church yard was consecrated by the Lord Bishop of Oxford, on Wednesday, the 15th of April, 1778. The Church is built of brick and has a tower with a conical copper spire at the west end, besides a clock and porch.[1] The belfry contains a set of eight bells, which, in addition to their ordinary Sunday chimes, ring out their merry peals on special occasions.
[1] An Entrance Portico of the Doric order was added to the Church about the year 1823.
"Ring out the old year's evil,
The world, the flesh, the devil;
Let them go! let them go!
And ring in the Prince of Peace,
Messiah's gentle reign.
And let war and bloodshed cease,
And righteousness obtain.
Ring out the old year's crimes,
And ring in the new year's birth,—
Good words, good deeds, good times;
Oh, were ever sweeter chimes
Rung on this fallen earth
Since creation's virgin anthem rang,
And morning stars together sang?"
"Chime on, ye bells! again begin,
And ring the Sabbath morning in."