Baptists, Shaw, Melksham Without

Early Baptist activity is indicated by the fact that two buildings were licensed for Baptist worship - a house and barn belonging to William Earle for Anabaptists and a house belonging to Edward Shephard for Anabaptists. There is no other indication of Baptist worship until 1799 when the house of James Weakly at Shaw Hill was licensed. The houses of Mary Buckly in 1806 and William Hedges in 1808 were also licensed for worship. In 1813 a tenement occupied by William Hedges and owned by James Marshman was licensed and in 1842 a building of James Cannings was licensed.