Ridlington nr. Oakham / Reddillinton / Redlinctun / Redlinctune / Redlington / Ridelinton / Rillyngton / Rodlinge / Rodlyngton / Ruddelyngton

There are two entries for this Ridlington [variant spelling] in the Domesday survey [http://domesdaymap.co.uk/place/SK8402/ridlington/] [accessed 30 April 2014]; the part in the lordship of King William reports no church but two priests in it; the part in the lordship of Albert of Lorraine, Hambleton manor, reports three churches and churchlands in it. The font is reported as damaged in 1860 [cf. infra]. Tyrrell-Green (1928) writes: "A triangular form, like a pentagon, seems quite unsuitable for a font, but it has been adopted in at least one case -at Ridlington (Rutland)". The Victoria County History (Rutland, vol. 2, 1935) notes: "The font is modern, replacing one which was described in 1860 as 'so much mutilated as to be useless.' [...] The new font has a bowl of triangular shape, with curved sides, supported on marble shafts with moulded capitals and bases." The quoted text is footnoted "Stamford Mercury, 29 June 1860" [cf. supra]. On the church itself the VCH (ibid.) notes: "The first mention found of the church after the Domesday Survey is in the opening of the 13th century [...] An extensive restoration in 1860 left little ancient work remaining save the chancel arch, nave arcades, clearstory and tower, and the history of the building is thus difficult to follow. [...] The church may therefore be said to be in the main a 13th-century building, the chancel of which was enlarged or entirely rebuilt in the 14th century, the tower and clearstory being added a century later. During the restoration there was found in the south wall of the chancel a tympanum [...] from a doorway of the earlier 12th-century building, and this is now inside the church over the doorway of the vestry at the west end of the south aisle. The tympanum has a border of guilloche ornament and is rudely sculptured with a lion and griffin in combat, and below them a small eight-spoked wheel within a circle. Above the lion are the letters 'IO." The present font in this church is modern, apparently Victorian, probably of the 1860 renovation by Henry Parsons; it consists of a cylindrical basin decorated with mouldings, raised on a cluster of three columns with moulded capitals and bases, marble stems; and a circular lower base; the modern font stands on a refoil-shaped plinth that may have been the original one for the 'triangular' font mentioned in Tyrrell-Green above. Chris Jones [www.rutlandchurches.co.uk/#/ridlington-church-rutland/4535654286] [accessed 30 April 2014] writes: "The font dates from the 1860 restoration, the original Norman font lies in some garden nearby." [emailed CJ 16 May 2014 asking for further info on old font -- 'triangular' in reference to the font shape may be inaccurate; if it matched the present plinth, which appears old, it would be trefoiled in shape, and therefore unlikely Norman]. An e-mail communication to BSI from Chris Jones [Leicestershire & Rutland Churches] included the following local excerpt from 'The Church of St Mary Magdalene & St Andrews Ridlington' by Jane and Michael Moubray 2003 in reference to the earlier font here: "The Norman font which had been damaged by frost, was unserviceable and now stands in the garden at the north west corner of Ridlington House. It was examined by the late Archdeacon Graham in the 1960s who said it was of a most unusual design with one flat side to aid the comfort of a portly priest when holding a baby. It is made of stone containing fossilised creatures which points to the stone having been quarried at Tallington. The present font dates to the 1860 restoration". [more info from CJ to follow]