The story of beginning of Guiting Chapel is dominated by the powerful ministry of one man : Rev Joseph Acock.

When the first Chapel was founded at Naunton in 1800 its congregation was drawn from the surrounding villages, including Guiting Power (then known as Lower Guiting). The church was served at first by Rev William Wilkins from Bourton. He died in 1812 and was succeeded by Rev William Bradley in 1817. Rev Bradley soon fell ill, and also died within six months, but not before inviting a Rev Thomas Snow of Cheltenham to the Nauntion Chapel. Rev Snow had recently left the Church of England to join the Baptists, and his ministry was very effective and appreciated - at least at first.

Through Rev Snow the young Joseph Acock, then just 17 or 18 years old, was converted to faith. Joseph had been born at Northleach and educated at the grammar school there, but in 1817 was living with his uncle in Cold Aston. He was powerfully moved by Rev Snow's preaching, and was baptised by him in 1818. This displeased his uncle who ordered him out of the house, and Joseph went to live in Guiting. There he supported himself by running a day-school for the village children.

Meanwhile Rev Snow became increasingly unpopular due to his insistence on weekly communion - a practice he had retained from his Anglican tradition. This unpopularity led to a split, with two factions worshipping separately in the same building. Rev Snow became less and less regular, and departed entirely in 1821. The church looked for someone who could unite the two factions - and invited Joseph Acock to lead them, which he did very ably for the next 23 years.

From the outset Joseph Acock's concern was for Guiting, where he lived and taught, as well as for Naunton. In 1825 he began to hold services in his school-room in Guiting, and four years later he founded a Sabbath School at both Naunton and Guiting. In 1832 he moved to a cottage in Naunton, but he continued to visit Guiting and preached regularly from a cottage - probably Chestnut Cottage near Guiting Chapel. So many came to hear him that in the Summer he often stood in the cottage door to preach to those standing outside in the open air. Many people came to faith through his ministry, and the congregation grew strongly.

It was soon apparent that Guiting needed a chapel of its own. In 1835 an appeal was launched, backed by the Naunton congregation and other churches in the area, and the Guiting chapel was opened in May 1836. Ever since, Naunton and Guiting chapels have remained twinned, with a shared minister.