Comments on: Priestley House and ‘Swampy’ Pond

By: Alan

Alan — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 14:13:28 +0000

Thanks very much, Liz. Priestley was a Unitarian and took a lot of heat because he was not aligned with the Church of England. Literally. People who didn’t like his views BURNED DOWN HIS HOUSE in England. That’s pretty much why he started over again in America. The guy was brilliant. I’m gonna have to track down some of his writings. I thought this would just be a little trip down memory lane, but I learned so much in just an hour or so.

By: Liz

Liz — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 14:00:39 +0000

Great article Alan. I haven’t been to Northumberland in many years and vaguely remember the Priestly house. I hope it doesn’t fall into disrepair because of the budget crisis. I find it the Penn State connection very interesting. I can understand why chemists are attracted to the tour, but wonder why it’s appealing to Unitarians.

By: Alan

Alan — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 13:40:45 +0000

Brooke, the tour guide and one of two state employees working at Priestley House, told me that about 3,000 people a year visit the site — mostly “chemists and Unitarians.”