The Old Manse - Chapel Close
The Old Manse - Chapel Close


A Manse is a clergy house inhabited by, or formerly inhabited by, a minister, usually used in the context of non-conformist Christian traditions such as Presbyterian, Methodist, or, as in this case, Baptist. Ultimately derived from the Latin mansus, "dwelling", from manere, "to remain", by the 16th century the term meant both a dwelling and, in ecclesiastical contexts, the amount of land needed to support a single family.

The Old Manse in Bratton, (just visible, behind the trees, on the left of the Baptist Chapel in the photo above) was built by Thomas Parfet 1802- 03 at a cost of £433.18s, raised by subscription.

This two-story, Grade II listed, Georgian house is rendered with a Welsh slate roof and gable-end brick chimney stacks and has some particularly fine 20-pane sash windows. The interior is said to retain its original window shutters, 6-panelled doors, and stairs.

It was sold to developers in 1980s to fund repairs to the Baptist Church and is now part of the Chapel Close development for the over-50s. The Manse for the current incumbent is now on Lower Road.

Historic England listing for The Manse

Bratton Baptist Chapel



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Bratton History Association.

The Bratton History Association aims to provide all those curious about local history with an opportunity to meet, exchange ideas, and discover more about the history of Bratton and Wiltshire. Activities include monthly meetings, talks by professional historians, visits to places of interest to historians, and our own local history project.

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