Our History

For 200 years, Wootton Baptist Church has existed to make the good news of Jesus Christ known in this village. Our story is not mainly about a building or an institution, but about God’s faithfulness in gathering ordinary people to worship him, hear his word, love one another, and serve the community.

Our story begins with William Early (1774–1853), who moved to the area from Lockerley, Hampshire, with his wife Mary. After pastoring the Baptist church at Cranfield from October 1824 to May 1825, Early came to Wootton.

A printer by trade, Early opened a day school in his home in Cause End Road (now called Yew Tree Cottage). Protestant dissenters had been meeting for worship in local homes since 1808, and in February 1826 an application was made for worship to take place at Early’s house. Later that year, he received a unanimous call from the congregation to become their pastor, which he accepted in October 1826.

As the church grew, a more suitable meeting place was needed. The Meeting House was built and opened in March 1836 at a cost of £400, giving the congregation a permanent place to gather for worship, prayer, and the preaching of God’s word. Early served the church for 27 years before resigning in 1852. He died the following year, aged 79, and was buried in the chapel burial ground with his wife Mary, who had died in 1848.

In 1853, funds were raised to build a house adjoining the chapel for the minister to live in, at a cost of £120. When the house was demolished in 1994, a stone jar was discovered in the cavity, containing documents from Early’s successor, Pastor Thomas Smith, along with a list of those who had contributed to the building work.

The chapel was extended in the 1950s after the church received a gift of land from Mrs Doyne-Ditmas, allowing a schoolroom to be added. In 1976, the building was extended again to provide a larger schoolroom, kitchen, toilets, and meeting rooms. These additions reflect the church’s desire not only to gather for worship, but also to teach children, serve families, and welcome the wider community.

Throughout much of the 20th century, the church had no minister, but God continued to sustain the fellowship through the faithfulness of its members. In 2024, the church appointed its first pastor in over 100 years. As we celebrate our 200th anniversary, we look back with gratitude and look forward in prayer, asking the Lord to renew us in faith, hope, and love, and to help us share the good news of Jesus with Wootton today.

For further information on the church’s history see here.

Ministers Past & Present