Brinkworth Circuit 1827

Brinkworth Circuit plan for 1827: download the pdf for a legible copy of this plan

Regent Street Methodist Church 1849-1949

In 1824 the Shrewsbury Circuit sent Rev S Heath and Rev E Vaughan to mission Gloucestershire and Wiltshire. Meeting much ill-treatment and determined opposition in Cirencester, they moved on to North Wiltshire where they established what was known as the Wiltshire Mission. In 1826 it became the Brinkworth Circuit and so the 1827 plan shown here is one of the earliest published.

The venues listed are mainly rural, with the exceptions of the small market towns of Cricklade, Malmesbury and Wootton Bassett. 1827 was before the Great Western Railway came to Swindon, which was to become the biggest town in the Circuit. On this plan it is represented by Eascott (later Eastcott) which was in a country lane next to what was the old town of Swindon.

Many of the place names are familiar, but some have changed spelling. Tottenham is most likely Tockenham ; Grettenham is now Grittenham; Gaudicre is Goatacre. Langley is likely to be Kington Langley. Stratton is Lower Stratton, part of Stratton St Margaret.

Source:

Averies SJ (1949) Regent Street Methodist Church 1849 -1949 pp. 4,5