The Bethel story began in 1840 when a group of nine villagers met in the cottage of Stephen Hayes and decided to form a Church.  One of the nine was William Carter who donated the land and £100 so that a small wooden Chapel could be erected with a schoolroom behind.

Rev. Daniel Cranbrook became the first minister in 1842 and the wooden chapel was replaced by a brick building seating 250.

By 1851 attendence had reached on average 150 adults in the morning and evening and 200 in the afternoon. The building was further enlarged in 1853 and in 1868 the congregation were able to replace the chapel with the yellow brick and red-brick dressed one which we have today.

When built, it contained a very large, high pulpit to demonstrate the importance of “preaching the word”. A generous “rostrum” for the choir covered the baptistery and a schoolroom was built at the back to accommodate important work with children.

In 1868, the Particular and the Bethel Baptist chapels opened a joint cemetery situated on the junction of Hale Road and Taylors Lane. It  is officially known as The Protestant Dissenters’ Cemetery. The first burial to take place there was that of Stephen Hayes, one of the founders of the Bethel Baptist Chapel. The cemetery is still under the management and control of trustees appointed by the two churches. The cemetery chapel was built in the 1930s. The cemetery consists of about 4 acres, part of which is being used as allotments.