Cranbrook

Although this baptistery and font fall outside the chronological scope of this Index on account of its late date, it is included here on the basis of the reasons why it was built. According to Bond (1908) this is "the only genuine baptistery in England", and was built in in 1725 by the then vicar Rev. J. Johnson, "for the purpose of baptizing by total immersion such Baptists as might wish to join the Church of England. It is a square building, and the piscina is entered by a descent of several steps. It is said to have been used only twice." Cox & Harvey (1907) use the same source as Bond, Sir Stephen Glynne's notes on Kentish churches. Noted in Newman (1980): "The steps in the S aisle lead to a font for total immersion, bult in 1725, and, it is said, used only twice. -- More normal, the font of 1852, Perp[endicular], but unusually nicely done, especially the flying tracery at the base of the bowl." Jenkins (1999) gives a slightly different version: "An 18th-century vicar introduced the practice lest he lose parishioners to the Baptists. For whatever reason it was not a success; the register indicates only one use." [NB: an illustration of this font, by Howard Gaye ('John Johnson's Immersion Font, 1877') was offered for sale in Abbott and Holder Ltd., List 371 Section C [www.abbottandholder.co.uk] in February 2006]. [NB: we have no information on the earlier font(s) of this church]