Old Baptist Church, Bradford on Avon

In 1672 a group of Baptists registered John Broome's barn as a place of worship. In 1689 a chapel, to hold 300 people, was built near St.Margaret's Street. This included a vestry, burial ground and adjoining house. Zachariah Shrapnel was involved and by 1715 there were 350 people in the congregation. They flourished throughout the 18th century and in 1797 the chapel was rebuilt on the same site while the ground floor rooms of one of the houses in St. Margaret's Street were demolished to give direct access from the street, through the arch which still exists. In 1828 the congregation helped to raise funds to build a new Baptist church at Corsham and they continued to do well during the 19th century, despite the secession of some members to Zion Chapel in 1842.The chapel is still in use but is one of the most hidden in the town.