Middletown Friends Meeting House

Submitted by Sally Valone, Historic Langhorne Association, to the Langhorne Ledger

   During the 17th century, Quakers from England began spreading to the shores of the Upper Delaware in Pennsylvania and inland to the Neshaminy. So rapidly was this part of the Province being settled that the matter of establishing new Meetings for the area came up at the yearly Meeting.

   In   1683, the first Neshaminy Monthly Meeting was held at Nicholas Waln's on November 1st and then at the homes of John Otter and Robert Hall until 1688. The first    meeting house was built on land given by Nicholas Waln (Philadelphia merchant) who lived on what is now the Brownsville Road on the left, going down to the Creek; the former William Mitchell farm a mile west of Langhorne. Unfortunately, we do not know the exact location, but we do know that it was on the opposite side of the road from the Waln home, and this side of the creek.

   In 1690, a committee was appointed to select a burying place and to have it fenced in. In 1692, the township having been laid out, the name was changed to Middletown Monthly Meeting. Bristol, Buckingham, Newtown and Wrightstown meetings began as preparative meetings under Middletown. In 1693, a schoolmaster was hired and children were taught at the Meeting House, becoming the first school in the area.  

            In 1721 relocation took place and a new meeting house was built where the existing one stands. In 1724, funds were raised for a stone wall to be erected around the graveyard. With the rapid development of the area a more adequate house was again needed. Expansions and improvements were constantly being made and more stables built.

By 1792 even an addition was not enough, so a year later in 1793 the present structure came into being. The plans called for the building to be 72 feet long by 36 feet wide. In July 1833, the stone stables were changed into carriage sheds, eight good sheds were made and some members gave their private sheds to the Meeting.

Of first importance to the new Quaker settlements was the meeting for worship, held on the First day and in the middle of the week. Also important was the good care of marriages. Members proposing marriage with the written consent of their parents published their own intentions first in the men's meeting, then in the women's meeting for two consecutive months. Two members were appointed to look into the clearness for marriage, after which, if all was in order, the marriage could take place in a regular meeting for worship. Early in the spring of 1803, Edward Hicks was accepted into membership and on November 17th, 1803 he and Sarah Worstall were married in the Meeting House.

   At one time, the men and women conducted their meetings separately, divided by large raised panel doors which remain today. The public Friends would sit in the gallery and the elder friends would sit with them or in front of the gallery. Women sat on one side and men on the other, and all sat with their faces toward the gallery.

   In 1851, thirty Silver Maples were planted on the ground owned by the Meeting.

   Langhorne First Day School was organized on February 20th 1870 under the leadership of John Wildman, who became the first superintendent.

  In 1929, Langhorne’s Public School system leased the Friends School until 1956.

 On April 9th, 1962 a fire burned the sheds, which had been converted to First School rooms. Also burned were the roof and utility rooms. In 1964 a new stone building was built adjoining the Meeting House where the First Day School had burned.

   A two-car garage was built in 1966 at the entrance to the graveyard to house extra equipment, and the same year a new blacktop and additional parking space was added by the generosity of Henry C. Parry.

   A sewer line was connected in 1969 to the School House and in 1970 the entire Meeting House was sandblasted and repainted which brings it to how it looks today.

  The building is still used for worship and children's and adult programs.