The village of Shrewton lies in the valley of the River Till, overshadowed by chalk escarpments, about four miles from Stonehenge. One of my ancestors, Charles Light, was the pastor of the Zion Chapel, a Baptist church there, in the second half of the 19th century. Charles's younger brother, Henry, was also a Baptist minister, preaching in Chitterne, the next village. His son, another Henry, my father's grandfather, took their trade - bricklaying - and their religion south to Portsmouth.

LRB 8 April 2010 | PDF Download