Hope in the High Peak

Described in Cox (1875-1877): "The font, under thw west gallery, is of a massive octagon shape with octagon base, and is probably of fourteenth century work." "An ancient circular font has also been rescued from the vicarage garden by the present vicar, and restored to its proper function in the church. The period to which it belongs is a matter of uncertainty" [source: William Smith Porter's Notes from a Peakland Parish: An Account of the Church and Parish of Hope in the County of Derby - transcription by Rosemary Lockie, 1999-2000 - in p. 3 of GENUKI's web site www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/DBY/Hope/Notes/ChapterI.html]. This is probably the one mentioned in Pevsner (1978) as an "[...] early C12 bowl". Armitage (1905) noted: "The font is supposed to be of the 14th century, but has very little about it to indicate date." [NB: Pevsner (1978) lists a second font in this church: "of 1662 from Derwent church"; note however that Bunting (2001) locates the former Derwent font at Tansley, Derbs.]