Bath Quaker Meeting is the local meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (commonly known as “Quakers”). We previously met for our weekly Meetings for Worship in our former Meeting House in York St (now Toppings Bookshop), and for some years at Bath Central United Reformed Church on Grove Street. Since June 2022 we meet on Sunday mornings from 10.30 to 11.30 at the Manvers Street Baptist Church. Occasionally we hold evening Meetings for Worship at the Quaker Burial Ground in Widcombe. Since 2020 we have held weekly online Meetings for Worship: please contact us for details of how to join these.

Quakers have no liturgy or creed; Friends’ faith relates more to personal experience. Quakerism is rooted in Christianity, but free of the formalities and externalities. Some Friends find traditional Christian language full of meaning, others simply don’t. Quakers find that words can’t express the deeper realities of faith, and Quakers worship mostly in silence.

There’s an introduction to British Quakers here, and a good brief independent description by the BBC here. There’s more about the history of Quakers specifically in Bath here. There are also meetings nearby in Bradford-on-Avon, Devizes, Frome, Trowbridge and Chippenham.

This short film by Kevin Redpath profiles several Quakers across SW England

The best advice is to come and experience the simplicity and power of your local Quaker meeting for yourself. Everyone should try it at least once in their lives, and for some people it’s then an easy decision to keep coming back.

If you want to attend Bath Quaker Meeting just show up; times and location details are shown in the panel on the right. Everyone is welcome. For avoidance of doubt that welcome is irrespective of faith, gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity, disability. Access is step-free.

At our in-person Meetings children are catered for on Sundays with a dedicated childrens’ meeting (although this now depends on the availability of trained volunteers). After Meeting we visit the cafe in the church for coffee and socialising.