Fiddington: Nonconformity

A History of the County of Somerset: Volume 6, Andersfield, Cannington, and North Petherton Hundreds (Bridgwater and Neighbouring Parishes). Originally published by Victoria County History, London, 1992.

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Citation:

A P Baggs, M C Siraut, 'Fiddington: Nonconformity', in A History of the County of Somerset: Volume 6, Andersfield, Cannington, and North Petherton Hundreds (Bridgwater and Neighbouring Parishes), ed. R W Dunning, C R Elrington( London, 1992), British History Online https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/vch/som/vol6/p103 [accessed 23 December 2024].

A P Baggs, M C Siraut, 'Fiddington: Nonconformity', in A History of the County of Somerset: Volume 6, Andersfield, Cannington, and North Petherton Hundreds (Bridgwater and Neighbouring Parishes). Edited by R W Dunning, C R Elrington( London, 1992), British History Online, accessed December 23, 2024, https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/vch/som/vol6/p103.

A P Baggs, M C Siraut. "Fiddington: Nonconformity". A History of the County of Somerset: Volume 6, Andersfield, Cannington, and North Petherton Hundreds (Bridgwater and Neighbouring Parishes). Ed. R W Dunning, C R Elrington(London, 1992), , British History Online. Web. 23 December 2024. https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/vch/som/vol6/p103.

NONCONFORMITY.

There were recusants in the parish in the 1630s and in 1641. (fn. 1) A meeting house was licensed in 1819 for an unspecified denomination. (fn. 2) Providence General Baptist chapel was opened at Whitnell in 1837. It was served from Burton in Stogursey but closed between 1923 and 1931. (fn. 3) The building, in agricultural use in 1982, had been converted into a dwelling by 1987. The Wesleyans began services at Coultings in 1868 and a chapel and schoolroom were built c. 1874. (fn. 4) In 1898 there were 11 members and one weekday and two Sunday services. By 1900 there was only one service a week and by 1920 services had ceased. The chapel was in bad condition in 1924 and was put up for sale in 1928. (fn. 5) In 1932 it was converted to a private house (fn. 6) and so remained in 1988. There was an Independent chapel in the parish by 1861; (fn. 7) it was probably at Coultings and was last recorded in 1896 when it was in the care of an evangelist from Stogursey. (fn. 8)

Footnotes

  • 1. Ibid. D/D/Ca 266, 274, 310; Som. Protestation Returns, ed. A. J. Howard and T. L. Stoate, 194.
  • 2. S.R.O., D/D/Rm, box 2.
  • 3. Baptist Handbk. (1900); H. J. Hamblin and A. J. Whitby, Baptists in Bridgwater, 84; Kelly's Dir. Som. (1923, 1931).
  • 4. S.R.O., D/N/bmc 3/2/3, 4/2/1; P.O. Dir. Som. (1875).
  • 5. S.R.O., D/N/bmc 2/3/11, 3/2/2, 4/2/3.
  • 6. Ibid. D/R/bw 22/1/23.
  • 7. P.O. Dir. Som. (1861).
  • 8. Rep. Som. Cong. Union (1896).