As part of a petition for a wider faculty, the court considered proposals concerning a font. The Saxon stone font had originally been in Old St Bartholemew's Church, Lower Sapey, which was now in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust. It was proposed to move it back to that church, because its location was said to limit the flexibility of the west end of the church and was a trip hazard. Its removal would cause serious harm to the significance of the church as a building of special architectural or historic interest.
The proposed replacement was a portable font. This would take the form of a copper ‘Victorian’ or ‘Victorian style’ bowl with two handles, said by the court to look like a relatively attractive kitchen mixing bowl. This would stand on an existing metal stand (otherwise used as a flower stand) or an existing wooden stand of uncertain provenance.
Canon F1 provides:
‘1. In every church and chapel where baptism is to be administered, there shall be provided a decent font with a cover for the keeping clean thereof.
2. The font shall stand as near to the principal entrance as conveniently may be, except there be a custom to the contrary or the Ordinary otherwise direct; and shall be set in as spacious and well-ordered surroundings as possible.
3. The font bowl shall only be used for the water at the administration of Holy Baptism and for no other purpose whatsoever.’
The court considered that the proposed portable font did not fulfil either the letter or the spirit of the Canon. A loose bowl, kept in storage and brought out occasionally, ran a high risk of being used for other purposes, and did not properly recognise the importance of baptism. There needed to be a good quality font used solely and exclusively for baptism which, if moveable, still must be permanently visible in the church.
That part of the petition was dismissed.
