Congregational Church, Market Lavington

Congregationalism in the village was fostered by the Rev. Robert Sloper of Devizes and in 1808 nine people formed a church under his guidance. In 1809 they bought the former Quaker meeting house, enlarged it and inserted a gallery to make a chapel twice the size of the original building, which was said to hold 500 people. Both a Sunday School and a girls' school were opened. A burial ground to the east and north was created. At quite an early date a group, with part of the Sunday School, seceded and set up a meeting in a cottage belonging to Christopher Garrett. This was later enlarged and became known as the Lower Chapel; they later held Baptist principles and in 1832 some members left to form the Strict Baptist chapel. The main body of Congregationalists were known as the Upper Meeting, with Richard Ward as their minister. On census Sunday in 1851 there were 220 people at morning service and 300 in the evening; about the same numbers as attended the parish church. A new chapel was built in 1892 on the opposite side of the High Street and the old one was retained for use as a Sunday School. During the 1940s the church was served served from neighbouring chuches but had its own minister again by 1972. In the 1970s, in common with other Congregational churches, it became the United Reform Church, under which heading further information can be found.