254 Bradford-upon-Avon. [ Grove Meeting-House. 
plied by others. Those who remained were but few in number, 
and openly professed themselves,—Unitarians. In 1793 a Liturgy, 
similar to that used at the principal Unitarian Chapel at Manchester, 
was in use at the Grove Meeting-House. 
On the decease of Mr. Williams, Mr. John Byatid of Bristol 
for a short time acted as minister, after which the Meeting-House 
was let to a body of Trinitarian Dissenters for several years. This 
last-named body subsequently built a chapel for themselves, a Mr. 
Coombs being their minister. 
In the year 1822, Mr. Richard Wright, who was the minister of 
a Dissenting congregation meeting at the Conigre, Trowbridge, 
re-opened the Grove Chapel, and for five years preached in it 
every Sunday morning. In 1827, Mr. Samuel Martin succeeded to. 
Mr. Wright at Trowbridge, and for some time followed his practice 
with regard to a weekly service in the Grove Meeting. For many 
years past, however, the service has been very irregular. Latterly 
it has been held only once or twice in the year, for the purpose of 
securing a small endowment, hardly more than sufficient to keep 
the building wind and water tight. The endowment arises from 
the rents of two houses in the immediate neighbourhood of the 
chapel, and produces from £10 to £12 a year. 
Few memorials remain either of former ministers or of attendants 
of this chapel. Of Dr. Roger Flexman, who was a man of some 
literary attainments, we are able to give a few particulars. 
He was born at Great Torrington in Devonshire, in the year 
1708, and educated for the ministry, among the Presbyterian de- 
nomination, by the Rev. John Moore. He was set apart for this 
work at Modbury by some of his Presbyterian brethren. After 
officiating at Chard and Crediton, he came to Bradford at the close 
of 1739. In 1747 he married Catharine the daughter of Mr. John 
Yerbury, one of the principal members of the congregation attend- 
ing the Grove Meeting, and in the same year removed to another 
chapel at Jamaica Row, Rotherhithe. In 1783 he resigned his 
office from ill-health, but continued to fulfil the duties of Lecturer at 
St. Helen’s, (to which he was elected in 1754) and preached there 
occasionally until his decease, at the age of 88, in the year 1795. 
