Ringmore / Rinmore

Described and illustrated in Stabb (1908): "the font [...] is of red sandstone, oval shaped, and very old; it has been claimed as Saxon, but there is nothing to show to what period it belongs. For many years it had been in the churchyard, and was restored by Henry Lowther Chermside and Josephine his wife in 1881." Described in Clarke (1913) as a tub-shaped basin of a Norman font, even though, as it appears now, mounted on its modern pedestal, it may not look it. Clarke (ibid.) describes it as: "perfectly plain, of barrel shape, hewn from course red conglomerate [cf. the basin at Ringmore No. 2 in this Index, for example]. It is very small, and possibly was a holy-water stoup. It may be of pre-Norman date. For a long time it stood in the churchyard, near the porch. It was replaced in the church in 1881, and was then raised on a shaft and base of fine red sandstone [...]" [NB: Stabb (1908) also reported a font that "consists of a figure of St. John the Baptist with staff and banner holding a shell for the baptismal water", in the Parish Church of St Peter, also in Shaldon / Ringmore. That font is dated between 1899 and 1902 and is therefore not included in this Index]. The entry for this church in Historic England [Listing NGR: SX9238972316] notes: "FITTINGS: include the bowl of a Saxon or early Norman font
reclaimed from the churchyard when the font of 1620 was disposed of in 1881." [NB: the nearby parish church of Shaldon, dedicated to St Peter, is modern as is its font]



On-site notes: the basin of the font in Ringmore St. Nicholas' is a strange artefact: goblet-shaped and raised on a modern base, its reddish colour and the course stone of the basin provide an undeserved shock to the weary visitor, considering how awkward it is to gain access to this site. The friendly and helpful warden could not provide information on it. The church guide reads: "The original font had been disposed of and replaced by the present Saxon [!] or early Norman one." The basin of the present font could be Saxon or Norman, or it could have been carved only a month ago by the local grave-stone mason. If ancient, it could be associated with the type at Bridgerule, more probably re-tooled. It is certainly not Bond's barrel-shaped Norman font. [cf. Index entry for Kenchester for a somewhat similar basin]