Higher Needless

An independent group were worshipping here when Dan Taylor, a young man born in Halifax, joined in 1762 and became the leader. He had become convinced about the Baptist position, but local ministers would not baptise him because of differing views about salvation. He found a group in Nottinghamshire willing to baptise him and returned to baptise his congregation, which formed the Baptist church. A plaque on the wall records this fact. The first meeting place of the Independent congregation at Wadsworth was under a tree known as 'The Nook'. As winter drew on, a house on Wadsworth Lane  - 'Higher Needless' - was taken in 1763. Then, requiring better premises, the congregation purchased a piece of land along Sandy Gate and built the first Birchcliffe Chapel in 1764.

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