Baptistry: Church of St Martin Ashton-on-Mersey

ASHTON-ON-MERSEY, MANCHESTER —The New Baptistery at the Parish Church - On Wednesday in last week, the Bishop of Chester consecrated the new Baptistery of the Parish Church of St. Martin, erected at the cost of Mrs. Hunter, to the memory of her husband, the late Rev. John Hunter, who was for 41 years curate of the parish, and much beloved and esteemed. The Baptistery is an addition to the ancient church, and has been erected at the north-east angle of the nave, with which it communicates by a stone archway. Octagonal in form, its walls inside and outside are finished with Hollington ashlar. It is lighted by three quatrefoil windows filled with ornamental glass. The open timber roof is of pitch pine, stained and varnished, and is formed by arched principals, springing from eight ornamental and carved corbels, which rise to a central king-post. Under the roof cornices an ornamental lettered band makes the circuit of the walls, which reads:—" In majorem Oei gloriam et in memoriam Johannis Hunter, in hac parochia per annos XLI. subsidiarii muneribus in exemplum perfuncti, uxor hoc babtisterium aedilicandum curavit, A.S , MDCCCLXX1V." Within the Baptistery a new font and its cover has been erected by Mr. Lightbourne, to commemorate the completion of his twentieth year of office as Churchwarden of the ancient parish of Ashton-upon- Mersey, which includes the township of Sale, which he especially represents. The font, executed in Painswick stone, is an irregular octagon in form. The basin is richly panelled and carved, and supported on four polished granite shafts, having carved caps and ornamental bases, the centre being occupied by a figure of St. John the Baptist. The plinth of the font has the following inscription in raised letters within a sunk panel:—" This font is the gift of Thomas Lightbourne, 20 years Churchwarden of Ashton-upon- Mersey, 1854-1874." The designs for the Baptistery and font have been furnished by Mr. Brakspear, architect, Manchester, and the work has been executed under his direction by Mr. Wharton, builder, of Ashton, and Messrs. Williams and Millson, architectural sculptors, of Manchester. [British Architect 3 April 1874 page 219]

Reference           Manchester Guardian 26 March 1874 page 8