Lancaster in Lancashire, England, United Kingdom — Northwestern Europe (the British Isles)
Only for Conscience Sake (1652- )
Photographed by Ray Gurganus, April 12, 2025
1. Only for Conscience Sake Marker
Lancaster and particularly the Castle, has a long standing association with the Quaker movement. Commonly considered to have been founded by George Fox, it developed in the second part of the seventeenth century amidst the aftermath of civil war.
The movement questioned religious and cultural traditions in England and Fox himself was brought before the assize courts at Lancaster Castle on numerous occasions, including in 1664 when he quarrelled with a Judge over his refusal to remove his hat in their presence, as tradition dictated.
Fox and other Quakers were trialled and imprisoned here for many offences including holding and attending meetings and refusing to pay tithes. At one point in the 1660s there were hundreds of Quakers imprisoned at the Castle and Fox and others complained of the poor conditions they faced there. One such prisoner was the poet Mary Southworth, later Molyneax, whose poems were likely a source of great inspiration to her fellow prisoners.
With the passing of the Act of Tolerance In 1689, attitudes became more accepting and a new Friends Meeting House was built in 1708 to replace a smaller building used before meetings were legal. Many extensions and alterations took place up to 1790 as the Quakers sought to make the building a credit to the city and it is in this form that the building remains today.
By the end of the eighteenth century, Quakers had become an important part of Lancaster society, with many of the city's most prosperous merchants being Quakers, such as the sugar-trading Lawson family. The gravestone of John Lawson can be found today in the porch of the Friends Meeting House.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Religion & Religious Structures. In addition, it is included in the Quakerism series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1652.
Location. 54° 2.891′ N,
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Regionally, this marker is in North West England. Globally, it is on the Atlantic Ocean, in the North Atlantic Region, in Europe, in Atlantic Europe, on one of the British Isles, in the Western World, and in the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Roman Empire.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Ticket's Please! (1792-1851) (here, next to this marker); Quaker Meeting House (within shouting distance of this marker); Luck to Loyne (1086- ) (within shouting distance of this marker); The Pioneer Line (about 90 meters away, measured in a direct line); Fruits of the mind (1887 - ) (about 210 meters away); Lancaster Castle (about 210 meters away); Window to your soul (1750-1982) (about 210 meters away); Charles Dickens (about 210 meters away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Lancaster.
Credits. This page was last revised on July 29, 2025. It was originally submitted on July 29, 2025, by Ray Gurganus of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 77 times since then and 11 times this year. Photo 1. submitted on July 29, 2025, by Ray Gurganus of Washington, District of Columbia. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
