swain's island began with the entire population being of the church of england. swain's island was visited often by missionaries from greenspond; for example, the rev. n. a. coster visited in june 1830 and baptized over 40 people, and robert dyer and julian moreton describes their visits to swain's island in their diaries and reports. the first record of a layreader, and also a teacher, was a mr. e churnside bishop who began teaching and layreading in 1843. bishop also helped organize the building of a new school which was opened in 1848. a church of england church was built on swain's island and was consecrated in 1861.