The Baptistery
At the West End of the South Aisle we come to the Baptistery, (now moved to the north aisle). The architect did not intend the Baptistery to be in its present position. In his original design he placed it where the West End door now is, the West door in the original design being beneath the tower. However, the building committee adversely criticised this arrangement and the architect was induced to alter his design.
The font, which came from the original church and was the gift of Henry Berens of Sidcup Place, is a hexagon of white Carrara marble. Each side bears a bas-relief: the four evangelists, the Baptism of Our Lord and Faith bearing a cross. The first baby to be baptised in the font, on 14th July 1844, was George Walker Petty.
The Baptistery window, which was donated anonymously, was inserted in 1958, the subject being taken from the 10th chapter of St. Mark, verse 14: "Suffer the little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not".