Thursday, August 27

1901: the baptistery altar

The baptistery altar was consecrated on this day in 1901, as Canon Billington records: "The baptistery was designed by Messrs. Austin and Paley. It is octagonal in form, with groined roof of flecked Runcorn stone, and is lighted by four two-light windows. On the east side there is an altar, containing relics of SS. Innocent and Justus, martyrs. It was consecrated on August 27, 1901, and is used on Maundy Thursday as the altar of repose; mass is sometimes said there on the festival of the saints. The front of the altar has a panel showing the baptism of our Lord. The arcaded reredos contains statues of four saints: Thomas of Canterbury, Chad, William of York, and Richard of Chichester. The altar was carved by Boulton of Cheltenham."