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Baptismal Font

The font is used for baptism which signifies a washing clean of its participants. It is also a presentation ceremony, a welcoming of the individual into the community. The font is (as at St Clare's) usually placed at the rear of the church, near the start of the central aisle. Since this central aisle represents the Christian's journey through life towards God, it was thought appropriate that the font should be placed at the symbolic start of the journey.

Fonts in the past were quite often lidded (as at St Clare's). This was partly required because of the protection needed after the water was blessed on Easter Day and then left for later use The holy water obviously needed to be protected from dirt and dust. In England covers became compulsory from 1236. Nowadays water used in baptism is blessed on the day.

The idea of heaven and earth coming into contact lies behind the octagonal shape of fonts. At the baptism of a person, heaven and earth touch. The number eight through the octagon, is a symbol of Jesus, unifying God and earth. An octagon is half way between a circle (God) and a square (earth). Just as Jesus was the incarnation of God on earth, so the octagon mediates between these two.