A brief history researched by Councillor Alf Moreton. Early in the year 2010 the North Bradley Parish Council set up a sub-committee comprising myself and three other Councillors and charged this sub-committee with the task of recording every right of way footpath in the Parish. Whilst undertaking this task I became interested in a small bridge over the River Biss. The bridge had (and still has) the title of "The Baptising Bridge". What an unusual name I thought and I decided to look into its history.
At the end of the long task of walking the footpaths, I undertook the job of compiling a report to send to the Wiltshire Council. Contained in the report was a mention of the Baptising Bridge and of its poor state of repair with a request to the Wiltshire Council that the bridge, because of its obvious religious and historical past, be considered for restoration; a task the Council quickly agreed to undertake. The restoration was completed in September 2010.
Since that time my research has taken me into the history of the Baptist faith. When King Henry the 8th outlawed Catholicism in the early 1500s he also deemed that the Church of England was the only True Church, thereby effectively also outlawing all other religious orders and variations, amongst these of course were the Baptists. So the Baptist members were forced to engage in secret meetings. Locally these took place in members? houses and for larger gatherings, in a place having the grand title of "Witch pit wood" which was on the "Cutteridge estate" near Brokerswood. The estate at that time was owned by one William Trenchard.
In 1689 the "Toleration Act" was passed, this allowed the Baptists to openly follow their calling and in that year a house belonging to one Richard Greenhill was licensed for meetings, followed by a second house in1709 belonging to a John Millard. This second house is believed to have been in Willow Grove and it was here that the first known Baptist congregation in North Bradley was thought to have met.
The Baptising of adults by total body immersion in water was a traditional practice within the Baptist movement, unfortunately, due to a lack of suitable facilities in either of the licensed houses Baptism had to be carried out at a suitable and convenient place on The River Biss, and so the "Baptising Bridge" came into being.
In 1779 a chapel was completed and dedicated; over the next fifty years the Chapel was extended several times.
One hundred and thirty two years later, in 1911, the Chapel was again extended and a baptistery added and so ended the need for and use of "The Baptising Bridge".
At the height of Baptising at the bridge it was reported that crowds of 2000 attended. The present chapel was opened in 1961 and the old one demolished.
I would like to thank the Pastor and members of the North Bradley Baptist Church for all their help in compiling this article and in particular for allowing the use of the photographs.