“I have baptised you with water, but he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit.”

 

Mark 1:8

 

The Fonts

          Bad Style and Pseudo-Saxon

“The Font of Snaith Church is of the date of 1721, and is in bad style”.

Whether in bad style or not, the font is still used to this day for baptisms in this church. When it was originally installed, there was no drainage system, but this was provided in 1857 when the original spiral stone baluster was replaced by the incumbent vicar.

The introduction of the Kitchen in 2009 also provided easy access to warm water which certainly helps on colder days!

What is certainly not in bad style is the lid of the font. The lid was given in memory of Rev Canon B. A. Ramsker who died in an accident whilst vicar of the parish.

The lid was made by Thomas of Kilburn, and features his trademark mouse on the underside. This one of three Kilburn mice in the Priory.

The third image on the left shows the dedication to Rev Canon Ramsker. Please note that the lid is extremely heavy, so if you want to see the mouse underneath, please ask one of our guides.

Near the kitchen is a raised stone plinth on which sits an older font, which is allegedly Saxon in origin. There is no proof for this, however, and Dr Joe Elders of the Church Buildings Commission told us that:

“Most churches have a Saxon font somewhere”.

Still, whilst we can’t prove that it is Saxon, we also have no evidence to say that it isn’t, and we do know for certain that there was a Saxon church on this site before the Priory was built, so perhaps it is not so unusual after all.

The lid of the font is dedicated to Rev B. A. Ramsker