Baptist Chapel, Bodenham

It is apparent that members of the Attwater family, landholders in Bodenham in the 18th century, were active in Baptist worship in Bodenham in the 18th and 19th centuries. Meeting house certificates were granted for this purpose to “Mrs. Anna Attwaters” on 9 January 1776; to “Mr. Attwaters” whose house was “situated by the side of the road from Salisbury to Downton” on 1 May 1780; and to a building in possession of Mrs. Eliza Attwater on 23 January 1839.

In addition a certificate granted to premises in the neighbouring parish of Coombe Bissett on 6 May 1838 refers to a Philip John Saffery of Bodenham as Baptist minister.

A Baptist chapel was reportedly in existence in Bodenham from 1839, served from the Brown Street Particular Baptist Church in Salisbury. At the 1851 the census a congregation of 81 worshippers at the evening service was reported. A new chapel was built, reportedly in 1860 and was restored in 1964; this has now been converted to a private dwelling.