Strong, William ( - 1654-06-30)

Little information about his early life. May have been born in Dorset, but some biographers have suggsted Durham and Hertfordshire as well. Graduated BA from St Catharine's College, Cambridge in 1631; Fellow, 1631; MA, 1634. Stripped of his fellowship and degrees in 1634 for saying that Archbishop William Laud had sinned against the Holy Spirit and that there would soon be no bishops in England. Nevertheless, he became the rector of Moor Crichel, Dorset in 1640. Fled growing royalist influence in Dorset for London in 1643, where he became lecturer at St Dunstan-in-the-West, Fleet Street, London; minister there in 1647. Member of the Westminster Assembly and one of seven preachers at Westminster Abbey, 1645. Under the new presbyterian church government, he was appointed a trier of candidates for ministry in the twelfth classis of London. Weekday lecturer at St Margaret's, Westminster, 1649. in 1650 he attempted to compel his congregation at St Dunstan to adopt a list of eight congregationalist articles, which ultimately led to his departure there and the establishment of a new congregationalist church at Westminster Abbey. Died in late June 1654 and buried at Westminster Abbey 4 July. His remains were disinterred in 1661 and thrown into a pit in the churchyard of St Margeret's, Westminster.