Wiltshire is a totally United Methodist/URC Area, a Local Ecumenical Project (LEP) in itself. The Area has now been in existence for some 30 years. We understand that it is one of only three such United Areas in the UK. It covers a mixed urban/rural area of Wiltshire and includes the expanding towns of Trowbridge, Warminster, Westbury, Devizes, Calne , Corsham, Bradford-on-Avon, and Melksham, together with the surrounding villages of Holt, Whitley, Winsley, Bromham,  Seend, Steeple Ashton, Semmington,  Market Lavington, Monks Chapel and Marston,

The question of Methodist and United Reformed Churches working closer together, beyond local church unions, had been raised in the Trowbridge area of Wiltshire during the 1970’s.   It was not until November 1979 however that a meeting was convened in Trowbridge, of representatives from the Methodist and United Reformed Churches in the area of the Trowbridge and Bradford-on-Avon Circuit – together with representatives of the South-Western Province of the United Reformed Church and the Bristol Methodist District -to consider how this idea might be implemented.

At the same time, a similar question had been raised for the area of Melksham, Corsham, Devizes and Calne (Mid-Wilts) and observers came to the meeting at Trowbridge.  

In 2008 a major re-organisation of the Methodist Churches and Circuits in the Bristol District created larger circuits and in Wiltshire the move was initiated to combine the two adjacent United Areas of West Wiltshire and Mid-Wiltshire, to be re-named THE WILTSHIRE UNITED AREA.   Following much prayerful considerations, the new Area came into being on 1st September 2009. An inaugural service was held at Trowbridge United Church on Sunday 6th September, 2009.