Non-Conformist Congregations in Norton Bavant

In 1662 the Norton Bavant churchwardens presented that there were six Non-Conformists in the parish. In 1674 there was one Quaker, along with three Anabaptists and three others who did not attend church. Two years later the Bishop of London commissioned a voluntary religious census; Norton Bavant is one of the surviving parish returns and shows eight Non Conformists. There is no explanation of which Movement these people followed and no further mention of Quakerism in the parish.

The return to visitation queries sent out by the bishop in 1783 declared that there were no Independents, Anabaptists or Quakers in the parish. There was just one Non-Conformist family who were Presbyterians.

The Independent movement began to gain strength in the late 18th century. Houses were registered for worship by Independents in 1788, 1811 and 1832, probably as stations of the New Meeting in Warminster. Between 1813 and 1830 some families were worshipping at the Independent chapel in neighbouring Sutton Veny. The parish church archive for Norton Bavant includes a document naming children who were baptised at the chapel but living in Norton Bavant. There are numerous entries for the surnames Hiskett and Bridle. There were chapels in both Sutton Veny and Heytesbury, giving the Norton Bavant residents a choice of alternative worship not far from their own village.

In 1864 the visitation queries show that the Independent movement had died out in Norton Bavant.

There were twelve Non-Conformists who were all Wesleyan Methodists except one who was Plymouth Brethren. There was a Primitive Methodist chapel at Sutton Veny so it is possible they worshipped there.

By 1879 there was just one Primitive Methodist in the parish who attended the parish church on Christmas Day and Good Friday.