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Wortley Village is situated 8 minutes from downtown London in the old South part of the city. The core of the village extends from Byron Street in the north to Elmwood Avenue in the South, including parts of Askin, Craig, and Bruce Streets. The history of the village starts in 1800s, when it was crown land, and one of its landmarks was the See House, a white-brick house which sat on what is now northwest corner of Ridout Street South, and Windsor Avenue. The House, which had been built by Adam Hope, a hardware, dry goods and groceries dealer, in 1885, was spread on 13 acres between Wortley Road and Ridout Street.

In 1887, the Anglican Diocese of Huron bought the property which was given the name See House. It was here that the first Bishop of the Diocese, Benjamin Cronyn, retired. Born in Ireland in 1802, he had served in the Ministry in England and Ireland before immigrating to Upper Canada in 1832.

Cronyn got married to Margaret Bickerstaff in December 1826 and had seven children. His son-in-law, Edward Blake, was the Premier of Ontario from 1871 to 1872, and Leader of the Liberal Party from 1880 to 1887. But settling at a spot where Wortley Village had later to grow had not been Bishop Cronyn’s design. Heading toward Adelaide Township St. James Westminster Church where Cronyn had been posted, the family chanced to break their journey in London. Cronyn preached the following morning and his sermon turned out to be so impressive that arrangements were made to change his posting from Adelaide to London.

Cronyn became active in the small London Wortley community, and in 1844, relocated St.Pauls’ church from Wortley to the site now occupied by St Paul’s Cathedral and became the first Bishop of the Huron Diocese when it was created in 1857. In 1863, he founded Huron University College. In 1887, Bishop Cronyn moved from St. Paul’s Rectory into the See House in Wortley village. He got married again in 1868 since his first wife had died two years previously.

Cronyn became active in the small London Wortley community, and in 1844, relocated St. Pauls’ church from Wortley to the site now occupied by St Paul’s Cathedral and became the first Bishop of the Huron Diocese when it was created in 1857. In 1863, he founded Huron University College. In 1887, Bishop Cronyn moved from St. Paul’s Rectory into the See House in Wortley village. He got married again in 1868 since his first wife had died two years previously.

With his new spouse, Martha Collins, they worked hard to raise funds for a formal Anglican church south of the Thames River. He died at the See House, Wortley Village, in 1871, two years before the opening of St. James Westminster Church, which he had worked hard for. After Bishop Cronyn’s death, the See House once again became a private residence, first owned by Col. Taylor and then sold to Judge R.M. Meredith, for use as a country house.

The village’s focal point for cultural activities is the Landon Branch of the London Public Library.It frequently features poetry series featuring readings by poets from across Canada, and facilitates poetry workshops. The library also offers story times for children, class visits, March break, summer readings and seasonal programs. Books and creative writing discussions are frequently held within the library precincts. Other activities include knitting, yoga, author readings, and even regular evening concerts in partnership with Home County Folk Festival.

The Landon Library Branch is named after Fred Landon, a member of the editorial staff of the London Free Press from 1906 to 1916 and who later became the paper’s managing editor. According to marvin Simmer in The Heart of Wortley Village: From Crown Land to Urban Community, Landon graduated from the University of Western Ontario with a Master’s degree in History in 1919 and sunbequently became an associate professor in the Department of History in the same university.

Curnoe, Glen. Around London 1900-1950: A Picture History. London: W. Glen Curnoe, 1973. Print.

Lutman, John. The Historic Heart of London. Revised ed. London: Conestoga Press, 1988.

Simmer, Marvin. The Heart of Wortley Village: From Crown Land to Urban Community. London: London and Middle Sex Society, 2012. Print