Eythorne Baptist Church
Encyclopedia
Eythorne Baptist Church originated in the meetings of early 16th century Baptists who had crossed the English Channel
from the low countries
to Kent
to escape persecution. 19th century Baptist writer J. J. Goadby named Eythorne as one of the three "most ancient Baptist churches in England".
For many years the Church had associated village chapels in east Kent.Two of these remain- at Adisham and Nonington. Others were at Eastry,Ashley,Woolage Green,Wootton and Barnsole.
and also at Canterbury
, about twelve miles away.
Joan Boucher
, or Bocher, who is sometimes described as Joan of Kent and known to have been involved in "reforming circles" in Canterbury is said by "uninterrupted and uncontradicted tradition" to have been an early member of the church at Eythorne. She was burnt at the stake at Smithfield on the 2nd May 1550 after refusing to recant her views on the incarnation of Christ. The church's website tells us that she spoke of "our little meeting in quiet Eythorne" at the preceding trial. Soon afterwards, the Duke of Northumberland
, one of the king
's advisers, expressed concern about the "Anabaptist
s lately sprung up in Kent".
.
Until 1750 the church seems to have forbidden singing, but half a century later a retired Dover
banker, Peter Fector, who lived near the meeting house apparently objected to hearing the congregation's "hearty singing". In January 1804 church members gathered to discuss his offer of £500 for the old meeting house along with an acre of land for a new chapel. This chapel, which is in use today, was built and opened the same year.
In the late 1830s William Copley, husband of the writer Esther Copley
(née Beuzeville, previous married name Hewlett), became Baptist Minister in Eythorne. Though his ministry started well he developed problems, apparently alcoholism, which meant his wife had to support his work and help write his sermons. Esther stayed on in Eythorne when William left in 1843.
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
from the low countries
Low Countries
The Low Countries are the historical lands around the low-lying delta of the Rhine, Scheldt, and Meuse rivers, including the modern countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and parts of northern France and western Germany....
to Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
to escape persecution. 19th century Baptist writer J. J. Goadby named Eythorne as one of the three "most ancient Baptist churches in England".
For many years the Church had associated village chapels in east Kent.Two of these remain- at Adisham and Nonington. Others were at Eastry,Ashley,Woolage Green,Wootton and Barnsole.
Beginnings
The immigrant Baptists and their English supporters held meetings at EythorneEythorne
Eythorne is a civil parish and small village of about 1000 homes, located 7.3 miles NNW of Dover in Kent. There are currently about 2500 residents. Eythorne holds many historical attributes. Situated a few miles away from Dover beach, it offers many articles of evidence of the war...
and also at Canterbury
Canterbury
Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
, about twelve miles away.
Joan Boucher
Joan Bocher
Joan Bocher was an English Anabaptist burned at the stake for heresy. She has also been known as Joan Boucher or Butcher, or as Joan Knell or Joan of Kent....
, or Bocher, who is sometimes described as Joan of Kent and known to have been involved in "reforming circles" in Canterbury is said by "uninterrupted and uncontradicted tradition" to have been an early member of the church at Eythorne. She was burnt at the stake at Smithfield on the 2nd May 1550 after refusing to recant her views on the incarnation of Christ. The church's website tells us that she spoke of "our little meeting in quiet Eythorne" at the preceding trial. Soon afterwards, the Duke of Northumberland
John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland
John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland, KG was an English general, admiral, and politician, who led the government of the young King Edward VI from 1550 until 1553, and unsuccessfully tried to install Lady Jane Grey on the English throne after the King's death...
, one of the king
Edward VI of England
Edward VI was the King of England and Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death. He was crowned on 20 February at the age of nine. The son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour, Edward was the third monarch of the Tudor dynasty and England's first monarch who was raised as a Protestant...
's advisers, expressed concern about the "Anabaptist
Anabaptist
Anabaptists are Protestant Christians of the Radical Reformation of 16th-century Europe, and their direct descendants, particularly the Amish, Brethren, Hutterites, and Mennonites....
s lately sprung up in Kent".
18th and 19th centuries
The first recorded meeting house in Eythorne was on the Coldred Road and was probably built about 1755 with seats for 60 people; in 1773 it was doubled in size. In 1786 baptisms started to take place in the village itself, a change from the previous custom of baptising church members in the sea or river at SandwichSandwich, Kent
Sandwich is a historic town and civil parish on the River Stour in the Non-metropolitan district of Dover, within the ceremonial county of Kent, south-east England. It has a population of 6,800....
.
Until 1750 the church seems to have forbidden singing, but half a century later a retired Dover
Dover
Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings...
banker, Peter Fector, who lived near the meeting house apparently objected to hearing the congregation's "hearty singing". In January 1804 church members gathered to discuss his offer of £500 for the old meeting house along with an acre of land for a new chapel. This chapel, which is in use today, was built and opened the same year.
In the late 1830s William Copley, husband of the writer Esther Copley
Esther Copley
Esther Copley was an English religious tractarian and children's writer.-Life:...
(née Beuzeville, previous married name Hewlett), became Baptist Minister in Eythorne. Though his ministry started well he developed problems, apparently alcoholism, which meant his wife had to support his work and help write his sermons. Esther stayed on in Eythorne when William left in 1843.
Further reading
- W.Philip Clark, Eythorne: our Baptist heritage (Sandwich 1981)
- A.C.Miller, Eythorne: the story of a village Baptist church (London: Baptist Union 1924)