Chillingham

In his entry for Ancroft, Wilson (1870) writes: "Built into the south wall of the nave, on the outer side, is a stone inscribed with the same initials and date as are on the font in Chillingham Church, which was removed from Ancroft on a gift of a new one by the vicar of Norham. Mr. Raine suggests that these initials, R. M. W. may be those of the curate, Robert Wood, and his wife. A portion, he adds, of the older font this one replaced is built up in a wall on the south side of the road, near the head of the village." Wilson's (ibid.) entry for Chillingham describes the font as "a relic of Stuart times", and gives the text of the inscription and the former location of the font at Ancroft. [cf. Index entry for Ancroft]. Listed in Cox & Harvey (1907) as a baptismal font originally from the town of Ancroft, later moved to Chillingham; it "has inscribed on the bowl -- God bless this Church M [over] R. W. An Domi. 1670". Described in Pevsner (1957): "brought from Ancroft, 1670. Octagonal shaft and octagonal bowl simply moulded in the Perp[endicular] tradition."