What came before…

Our story goes back to the 1650s, when Bourton-on-the-Water became a hub for non-conformist worship. Back then, this small village of around 1,200 people boasted nearly every denomination you could think of!

By 1701, the local Baptist congregations united and built a Meeting House—right where our cemetery stands today. In 1740, the church called a young and gifted 23-year-old, Benjamin Beddome, to be minister. He was so beloved that his congregation raised an impressive £217 (a huge amount at the time!) to build him a manse—even before he officially accepted the role. When he married in 1749, he moved in. That house is now the Old Manse Hotel in the village centre.

Beddome remained our minister for an incredible 55 years, passing away in 1795. A respected pastor, preacher, and hymn writer, his legacy lives on.

Our current church building was completed in 1875, and to this day, we remain a vibrant part of Christian life in Bourton-on-the-Water.

An old sepia-toned photograph showing a church with its steeple, and a large billboard structure in front of the church with unknown content.
A black-and-white photo of a group of children sitting and standing in an indoor space, with a man handing something to a child, in a setting resembling a school or community center, with posters and signs visible on the walls.
A memorial plaque with a decorative urn and drapes carved in relief above it. The plaque is dedicated to Reverend Benjamin Beddome, mentioning his death on September 3rd, 1795, at the age of 79, and his wife Elizabeth, who died on January 23rd, 1784, at the age of 62.