About the Church:
In 1672 a house in Malmesbury may have been licensed for Baptist meetings and a Meeting was definitely in existence by 1688 in Abbey Row. A pastor was appointed in 1689 and a chapel was built at Abbey Row in Westport parish in, or just after, 1695. This was a low stone building that seated between 60 and 70 people and baptisms took place in the river Avon near Mill Lane.
In 1802 the present chapel was built for the Strict Baptists. In was enlarged by the addition of galleries in 1814 and in 1816 the north end was demolished and the chapel lengthened. This would indicate that the movement was flourishing at this period. The chapel was refurbished in 1910 and continued in use until the mid 1980s. In 1997 it was bought by the King's Church.
In 1948 Mrs Rowe of Swindon had a vision to come to Malmesbury. Here she established the first meetings of the Assemblies of God Pentecostal in the Toch hall next to St. Mary's Church. They later moved to the Town Hall and in 1967 bought the old parish rooms in Silver Street. In 1997 the Church bought the Abbey Row Baptist Chapel and have renovated it and are now using it for worship.
About the Geocache:
Because of the location of the Church, this Multi geocache starts here. You will find the grave of Jane & Thomas Harris. By using the information on it you will be able to work out the final geocache location, which is under 5km return journey away from the Church.
Question 1: In Memory of Jane Wife of Thomas H Harris who died March AB CDEF Aged GH Also of Thomas H. Harris who died Oct JK LMNO Aged PQ
Final Coordinates:
N 51° (Q+L)E.HGN W 002° (F-A)(D-C-A).(Q+F)LM
About the Series:
**************************************
For full information on how you can expand the Church Micro series by sadexploration please read the Place your own Church Micro page before you contact him at churchmicro@gmail.com.
See also the Church Micro Statistics and Home pages for further information about the series.
*************************************