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Vine Baptist Church is a "city that cannot be hidden", a notable building situated at the north end of Sevenoaks adjacent to the Vine Cricket Ground. The building is attractively floodlit at night time.
Originally the Vine Cricket Ground was a vineyard, serving the Archbishops of England. The vineyards were cleared and a cricket pitch created, and in 1734 the first recorded cricket match was played making the Vine one of the oldest cricket grounds in England. It is also notable for being the first place in England to play cricket with three stumps. An early "all-England" team played at the Vine Cricket Ground in 1777!
Sevenoaks Baptist Church dates from that time, being founded in 1748. The first Church Book reads….
“Thus did we in a united and solemn manner give up ourselves to each other and to the Lord mutually to join in hearing of his word, prayer, singing his praises, &c. as the Lord should assist us every Sabbath day. We began the solemn service May 29th 1748 in Brother Bligh's own hired house.”
So Michael & Eleanor Bligh, Thomas & Sarah Reeve, Jarvis & Elizabeth King, John & Mary Fuller and David Hearnden, a group of nine Particular Baptists, began meetings in 1748. Due to much animosity the Bligh's moved to the town from Bessels Green. Brother Bligh continued to conduct services, preside at meetings and to baptise their converts. In 1753 he became an ordained minister and was now able to conduct communion services. In 1756 a meeting room was rented in Sevenoaks at two guineas per year and their Articles of Faith written in the church book and signed by 25 members 10 of whom affixed their mark.
By the 1770's the congregation had resolved to build a place of public worship. In 1776 they bought a dwelling house and site for a chapel off the London Road for £120 from David Ball, a corn chandler. Seven men became the Trustees. John Fuller the elder of Sevenoaks, husbandman, John Bull of Sevenoaks, cordwainer, James Bligh the younger of Riverhead, husbandman, John Bligh of Riverhead, husbandman, James Kennett of Croydon, turner, Joseph Gatward of Sevenoaks, clocksmith and Thomas Clark of Leigh, yeoman.
By the late 1870's the Baptists in the London Road decided to move to a larger building. A site was eventually acquired on the Vine Court estate. The new church, now known as Vine Baptist Church, was opened in June 1887 at a total cost of £3,620
Since its inception in 1754, Sevenoaks Baptist Church has had just 20 Pastors, they being:
1754 - 1794 Rev. Michael Bligh
1797 - 1804 Rev.Thomas Arnold
1810 - 1852 Rev.Thomas Shirley
1855 - 1863 Rev. Joseph Mountford
1864 - 1874 Rev. John Jackson
1874 - 1884 Rev. John Field
1885 - 1913 Rev. Charles Rudge
1913 - 1917 Rev. Fredrick J. Feltham
1917 - 1921 Rev. W. F.Grey
1921 - 1925 Rev. Frank Buffard
1925 - 1933 Rev. E. G. Keed
1934 - 1943 Rev. A. G. White
1944 - 1950 Rev. William R. Newton
1950 - 1956 Rev. John L. Nainby
1957 - 1965 Rev. Leonard A. Fereday
1967 - 1979 Rev. Leonard J. Lane
1979 - 1988 Rev. John Tattersall
1989 - 1997 Rev. John Brandham
1998 - 2003 Rev. Mark D. Grant-Jones
2005 - Rev. James A Crockett
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