Roman Catholic Church of the Sacred Heart, Wootton Bassett

In the 16th century there were some staunch Catholic families in the area. These were the Englefields of Vasterne, the Moors of Little Park and the Cruses of Greenhill Common Farm. Surveys of 1676, 1767 and 1780 show that there were 3, 6 and 4 Roman Catholics respectively in Wootton Bassett. There was no substantial number until the mid 20th century when it was found that a large number of refugee children in the town, in 1940, were from Roman Catholic homes. In 1941 a chapel of ease was built and was served from Swindon. After the war the population grew and a permanent church was built in 1954; a church hall being added a few years later. A new church of modern design was opened in the winter of 1992-3.