Our History

Traditionally known as ‘the church beyond the sands’, Tottlebank Baptist Church dates back to August 18th, 1669, when seven local dissenting men came together at Tottlebank to found “a church of Christ”. Yet, initially it wasn’t specifically Baptist at all – as Margaret Thomas, our church historian, has written, “as the only centre of organised dissent in the area, it was ‘wide in its sympathies’ encompassing several strands of Puritan thinking, and only over a period of some 50 years moved gradually into the mainstream of Baptist life. This openness has remained a constant feature of its witness to the present day.”

The current church building dates back to 1697 – and is Grade II Listed. It is as fascinating today as it has always been, a single storey structure located in the midst of rolling sheep fields. The church’s burial ground is adjacent, with several of its former pastors buried there. The site is one of true tranquillity.

A well-researched and beautifully written church history, authored by Mrs Thomas, was published in May 1999 and is a recommended read for anyone interested in the history of the church, and indeed the Nonconformist history of the whole Furness area.