During this 18th century the Nonconformists became very numerous and powerful in the city and county. Methodism imparted a healthful stimulus to the revival of religion. It aroused the church and all denominations. Besides the very flourishing bodies of Wesleyans and Baptists, the Independents made great progress. Within two centuries, in place of one, several chapels arose; and throughout all England, few towns exhibited a greater increase of Nonconformists than Norwich. We have already given an account of their rise and progress in the 17th century, but we have not yet noticed the Unitarians. A history of the Octagon chapel in Norwich, by Mr. John Taylor, formerly of this city, and continued by his son, Mr. Edward Taylor, contains a full account of the rise and progress of the Unitarians here. They were at first called Presbyterians, but that name was inappropriate, as they never had the Presbyterian polity nor doctrine. Mr. John Taylor says, the first Presbyterian chapel was built in 1687, on a piece of ground, formerly part of the great garden or orchard, “sometime belonging to the prior and convent of the late friars’ preachers,” of whose deserted walls the Dissenters took possession. The building was so constructed that it might be converted into dwelling houses in case their preachers were compelled to abandon it. Blomefield, in his History of the City, says:— “In 1687, the Presbyterians built a meeting house from the ground, over against the Black Boys; and at the same time the Independents repaired a house in St. Edmund’s formerly a brew house.” After the passing of the Toleration Act, in 1689, this meeting house, which, had not been long finished, was duly licensed. Dr. Collinges, a learned Presbyterian minister, was the first pastor appointed to preach by the congregation. He had a considerable hand in the “Annotations to the Bible,” which were begun and carried on by Mr. Matthew Poole, and which go under his name. Dr. Collinges died in January, 1690, and was probably succeeded soon after by Mr. Josiah Chorley, who was not a native of Norwich, but came from Lancashire. He officiated about thirty years, and was succeeded by the Rev. Peter Finch, a highly esteemed preacher for many years. After he died his funeral sermon was preached by Mr. Taylor, who said:— “Surely the character of Mr. Finch, drawn out so even and clear without any remarkable spot or flaw, through the long course of sixty-three years in this city, must be deserving of remembrance and imitation, since it must be the result of a steady integrity and solid wisdom.”