As I failed to write earlier, I suspect the animosity may not have been much to do with religion. Different types of Christian (which used to be 90+% of the religion around there) seemed to me to get along OK in those villages. Not far away in MK, five branches (Anglican, Baptist, Methodist, Roman Catholic and United Reformed) have shared the Church of Christ the Cornerstone for 30ish years and a corner of the library block for 10 before that and rooms at Centrecom behind it before that.
I've lived here since 1990. At the time we moved I might have been peripherally aware of reports of a Northampton 'cult' but only got to see the scope of the Church's activity after we'd lived here a while. The local outdoor shop, White and Bishop, was a Church business which explained why the younger female staff were always unmade up and modestly dressed.
We were aware that some people were members of the church and of how it pooled resources etc. I think Church people kept to themselves so there was little mixing but I've never been aware of real animosity though that's not to say it didn't happen. Vehicular comings and goings associated with Church businesses for example might have been a concern.
There was an interesting 'diversity' point one year. Part of an exercise in SATS tests involved a scenario with a TV ad. If you come from a community that doesn't 'do' TV then you might be at a disadvantage.
All wound down now and the buildings are being put to different uses; one is to be a wedding venue.
