James Holden: Testaments in Stone: The Story of Wiltshire's Nonconformist Chapels
James Holden: Testaments in Stone: The Story of Wiltshire's Nonconformist Chapels

4pm Sunday 21 February 2027

The origins of nonconformity lie in the dramatic events of the mid-17th century. There followed a long fight firstly for survival and then for acceptance, and it was not until the later 19th century that nonconformists could claim to be on an equal footing with Anglicans and others. The design of nonconformist chapels reflects both the fight and the growing confidence, from the tiny hidden buildings of the later 17th century to the vast and assertive town chapels of the later 19th. Wiltshire is particularly lucky in the variety and quality of its chapels and James Holden's talk will weave nonconformist history into an illustration of how chapel design developed over the two centuries of main chapel building, using examples from across the county including of course Bratton's own fine Baptist church.

James Holden has had a long-term interest in local history and a move to Wiltshire in 2014 following his retirement presented the opportunity to write on the subject. He has since produced books for the Wiltshire Buildings Record on Gate Lodges (2018), Nonconformist Chapels (2022) and Public Buildings (2024), with a volume on Victorian Schools due for publication late 2026 or early 2027. He has also written for Bradford on Avon Museum on Nonconformist Chapels (2024) and is now at work on a shorter general history of the town, also for the museum.




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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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