Thomas Ward

Thomas Ward was the Baptist minister at Melksham, 1794-1818; he may have preached at Lavington prior to his visit to Bratton, but he was not the minister at Lavington. A Baptist church was organized there in 1810, called Penknap Providence Baptist Church, aligning its faith and practice with the Particular Baptists. George Philips was the first pastor, having come from the Baptist church in Westbury Leigh, not far from Bratton; he would remain at the Providence church until 1833.