Two small Baptist interests of high Calvinistic principles and maintaining close communion, are situated in the lower parts of the town; one in a lane near the weighing engine, and chiefly supplied by lay-agents from the neighbourhood; the congregation exceeds in number one hundred, and there are twenty members; the building measures about 30 ft. by 28 ft.: the other, which is an offshoot, has recently been erected; it is but small, measuring 30 ft. by 20 ft., and is situated in Church Street; the congregation does not exceed one hundred, and has but few members; it has a resident minister.
The Primitive Methodists have for some time laboured here; they formerly had a flourishing society of thirty members, but have declined, owing to the difficulty of obtaining a suitable place; their present number is probably about ten. They form part of the Newbury circuit.
A Temperance Society, established in the year 1838, has been the means of considerable good, reclaiming several persons who were reduced to a state of poverty and ruin, restoring and elevating them to comfort and respectability. The pledge-book gives the numbers at the present time as 450; they circulate tracts and advance their views by occasionally holding meetings.
Reading-rooms are open for the accommodation of subscribers, where the daily and weekly papers with other works are supplied; and where, during the winter months, lectures are occasionally delivered upon literary and scientific subjects: they are situated in the middle of the town, just below the Market-place.
An Horticultural Society has lately sprung up for encouraging the cultivation of fruits and vegetables. Prizes are awarded to the successful competitors at the annual exhibition, which is held in the grounds of the president, Charles Hitchcock, Esq., at Fiddington. Watson Taylor, Esq., of Urchfont, patron: Mr. H. Gauntlett, secretary. It has 156 members.
The facilities for intercommunication are good. A coach from Salisbury to Chippenham passes through West Lavington, distant one mile, every alternate day, returning the following; and one recently started leaves here for the Hungerford extension line each alternate day in time for the up train, and leaves on its return on the following, upon the arrival of the down train. There is also a daily carrier to Devizes, and two to Salisbury weekly.
A small stream rises at the farther end of Easterton, and supplies the sheet of water in the grounds at Fiddington (where there is a pleasant and comfortable asylum for lunatics),—winds to Northbrook—passes on through the meads at Ladywood to Russell mill, where it joins another stream (which rises at Newlam, a mile from West Lavington; this formerly covered a space of seven acres, but is now reduced to very narrow limits)—united in one it pursues its way towards Bath and Bristol, where it falls into the Avon and Severn. A branch which turns off towards Devizes empties itself into the Avon and Kennet canal; in its progress it forms the moving power to several mills, and imparts fertility to the various meads in its course.
The scenery around is of the most delightful character, the sands or common have been successfully brought into cultivation, and where formerly but few buildings appeared numerous houses have been erected, which bespeak the efforts of the humble classes to attain respectability and comfort; while the tillage constantly going on gives great animation to the scene. The country around is everywhere well wooded to the north, and may with propriety be termed a panorama, reaching to the vicinity of Bath. From hence and on the downs report states that when the atmosphere is clear, and with the aid of good glasses, the Welsh mountains may be descried. A good eye will be able to discover Lansdown and the Beckford monument, Stourton Tower, and the spire of Salisbury Cathedral. The most favourable points of observation are the downs on the top of Lavington hill, Wroughton’s Folly, and Ledgehill, on the road to Bath and Devizes, there are a few spots possessing a romantic feature, exhibiting as they do high walls of strata surmounted with tall waving foliage. Here the lover and copyist of nature might revel in perfect delight, and gather many a sketch for his portfolio. About some 25 years ago the approaches were everywhere impeded by toll-gates, the heavy expenses thereby entailed upon the farmer and gentry led to vigorous efforts for their removal by liberal contributions to a fund for this purpose, they were bought up, and in one day no less than twelve of these impediments were destroyed. The event is annually commemorated by a public dinner at the chief inn and a bonfire in the evening.
There are two or three clubs for the assistance of members in a time of sickness, to afford means of burial, and also to furnish clothing.