Our History

Foots Cray Baptist Church grew from the initiative of Mr WH Colyer, a member of Eynsford Baptist Church, who came to live in the village of Foots Cray. He licensed his house for public worship, and when he later returned to Farningham to live he left behind a thriving fellowship, by then too large for the house and meeting in the Foots Cray Paper Mill (Nash's).

At about this time land was needed to provide a burial ground for members of the fellowship, as the Anglicans would not allow their graveyard to be used by the Baptists. On the 24 March 1836 the foundation stone of a proposed church on this land was laid, and the building opened for worship in August that year.

There has been worship and witness here on Sidcup Hill from that time. Before the buses, members came by horse and cart. In 1859 gas light was installed, and not changed for electricity until the centenary in 1936.

We know we live in greatly troubled times today, but times were very hard then as well. There was great economic hardship following the Napoleonic Wars, and in the 1830s farm labourers were to be found dead in the hedgerows from starvation. History has brought many changes, some of them swift and terrible. But Jesus Christ is the same today as he was then. We continue to have the resources of God's grace and love in Jesus to support us.

Please click here to download a document with more detail.

During the First World War, Fred Corke, one of our deacons, was killed in action, and there is a memorial plaque in the church.  Please click here to download his story.

We believe that we are not in breach of copyright with any of the pictures we use, but if you know otherwise please contact us.  We would also be pleased to hear from you if you have any information or photographs that would enhance our record.