Baptist Church, Castle Street, Calne

There is a tradition that Baptists worshipped in Calne before 1660 but suffering much persecution during the reign of Charles II they were definitely meeting outside the town after 1660 at Moss's Mill, west of the town, and at Upper Whitley. The first official recorded meeting is in 1669 when a house in the town was used and later a chapel was built near the back of Castle House in Castle Street. In 1703 the chapel was destroyed by high winds and a new one was built on the same site in 1704.

In the early 18th century a baptistry was built on a stream near Lickhill Farm, later to be known as 'The Dipping Place', and later a stream at Ratford was used. A baptistry was built in the chapel in 1788. The chapel was rebuilt on the same site in 1817, a vestry was added in 1822, a schoolroom in c.1858 and the north side of the chapel was rebuilt in the Decorated style c.1865. Between 1926 and 1934 there was a major reconstruction of the chapel and electric lighting was installed. Over the years the Lansdownes of Bowood have been generous to the church and in 1955 they made a gift of land forming the entrance to the chapel.