Some History
Home Activities Upcoming events Contact us Cornerstone Some history The extension Find us Children Youth Book Review	The Baptist Church in Hook Norton is one of the oldest in existence, tracing its roots back to 1640.  Not surprisingly it has an interesting history: the first pastor James Wilmot was imprisoned for six months in 1664 for preaching!  In the era before cars, horses and traps would converge on the church from surrounding farms and villages, some people would travel for over an hour on foot for Sunday Worship. Nowadays our buildings still give away some secrets from the past. The Georgian chapel building is set at the far end and was once almost out of sight from the road, dating from an era when "dissenters" although tolerated, had to be kept out of sight! The chapel was rebuilt in 1787 on a plot first made available to Baptists in 1718 by a generous bequest.  The Victorian box pews were removed in 1980s to make way for comfortable individual seats, but the balcony (also Victorian) still remains.  A separate Hall was built in 1873 and has been in regular use by village and church organisations, and for many years served as part of the village school.  The Hall facilities were extended in 2004 and now include a new kitchen, toilets, disabled facilities and an upper meeting room.	A Celtic Blessing: “May the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ go wherever he may send you. “May he guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm. “May he bring you home rejoicing at the wonders he has shown you. “May he bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors”
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