Bapchild / Babechilde / Bachanchild / Bachancild / Becanceld / Beccanceld

No entry found for Bapchild in the Domesday survey. Halsted (1798) writes of a great council convened by Withred, king of Kent, in 694 AD, "by which several privileges were granted to the church" of Becanceld or Bapchild. Halsted (ibid.) adds: "It appears by the Testa de Nevil [cf. infra], that in the time of king Richard I. [1189-1199] this church was part of the possessions of the crown, and was given by that king to one master Oliver: what interest he had in it, or how long he continued possessed of it, is not mentioned; but king John, in his 5th year, at the instance of Simon de Wells, granted to the church of Chichester, and him and his successors, bishops of Chichester, this church which was of his gift, with the lands and woods, and all other its appurtenances, to hold in free, pure and perpetual alms, to the endowment of that church, as he had promised at the dedication of it. [...] The church is dedicated to St. Laurence. It is a small building, and by the size and capitals of the pillars and other parts of it, appears to be of some antiquity. It consists of two isles and two chancels. [...] The steeple, which stands on the south side of the church, has a tall spire on it, covered with shingles. It has but one bell in it." [NB: the 'Testa de Nevil' mentioned in Halsted [cf. supra] is the 'Liber feodorum. The book of fees commonly called Testa de Nevill'; it commences in 1198]. The present font is noted in John E. Vigar's Kent Churches [www.kentchurches.info/church.asp?p=Bapchild] [accessed 8 September 2013]: "The fine Victorian work climaxes with the altar designed by E W Pugin [...] He was also responsible for the simple and angular font." [NB: we have no information on the font of the Norman(?) church here]