Eythorne Baptist Church facts for kids

Eythorne Baptist Church is a very old church in Kent, England. It started in the early 1500s when people called Baptists came to England from other countries, like the Low Countries, to escape being treated badly for their beliefs. A writer named J. J. Goadby, who studied Baptist history in the 1800s, said that Eythorne was one of the three "most ancient Baptist churches in England."

For many years, this church had smaller chapels in nearby villages in east Kent. Two of these chapels are still open today in Adisham and Nonington. Other chapels used to be in places like Eastry, Ashley, Woolage Green, Wootton, and Barnsole.

The Church's Early Days

The first Baptists who came to England, along with their English friends, held their meetings in Eythorne and also in Canterbury, which is about 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) away.

Joan Boucher's Story

A woman named Joan Bocher, who was involved in religious reform groups in Canterbury, is believed to have been an early member of the church at Eythorne. She had strong beliefs about the incarnation of Christ and refused to change her mind. She faced a very serious punishment because she would not change her beliefs on 2 May 1550. Soon after this, the Duke of Northumberland, who was an adviser to King Edward VI, became worried about the "Anabaptists" (another name for some Baptists) who had recently appeared in Kent.

Growing and Changing (1700s-1800s)

The first building used for meetings in Eythorne was probably built around 1755. It had enough seats for about 60 people. By 1773, it was made twice as big. Before 1786, church members were usually baptized in the sea or a river at Sandwich. But after that year, baptisms started to happen right in the village of Eythorne.

Singing and a New Chapel

Until about 1750, the church did not allow singing during services. However, about 50 years later, a retired banker from Dover named Peter Fector seemed to dislike hearing the congregation sing. In January 1804, church members met to talk about his offer. He offered £500 for the old meeting house and an acre of land to build a brand new chapel. This new chapel was built and opened in the same year, and it is still used by the church today.

Esther Copley's Contributions

In the late 1830s, William Copley became the Baptist Minister in Eythorne. His wife was a writer named Esther Copley. Even though his work started well, he later faced difficulties. His wife, Esther, helped him a lot with his work and even wrote some of his sermons. Esther stayed in Eythorne when William left in 1843. She is buried in Eythorne under a tree near the church gate.