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New London Township is a township in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 4,583 at the 2000 census. It is most famous for being the birthplace of Founding Father Thomas McKean. According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 11.9 square miles (30.7 km²), all of it land. Elevation 337 ft (102.7 m) Coordinates 39°46'00"N 75°52'59"W. Timezone EST (UTC-5)
- summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4) Area code 610 New London was originally the home of the Lenni Lenape Indian tribe. It was visited by early farmers and explorers, but began to grow when the London Company, a group of five entrepreneurs, purchased a large tract of land in order the break the tract into smaller lots and sell them at a profit to immigrant farmers. This tract included present-day New London Township, which was chartered in 1723. The first immigrants were Swedish framers from New Castle Delaware. The next wave of immigration brought Scotch Irish Presbyterians. In 1741, Rev. Dr. Francis Alison, then the minister of the New London Presbyterian Church, established the original New London Academy (the parent school of the University of Delaware) where he instructed three signers of the Declaration of Independence: Thomas McKean, George Read, and James Smith (two of which were rumored to be Brothers). He also instructed four governors and many other important citizens. New London residents were prominent patriots in the Revolutionary War. Brother Benjamin Franklin, who farmed property in nearby Franklin Township and was in charge of the Pennsylvania Militia, encouraged local families to rally to the cause and to provide horses, manpower, and supplies. Brother George Washington kept a relay of coach horses in the village, the White Clay headwaters behind the stable providing their water. After the Revolutionary War, New London continued to be a busy crossroads village. At one time the town had two inns, a blacksmith shop, saddlery shop, wheelwright, shoemaker, tailor, tinsmith, tannery, an apothecary and several general stores.