Michaelchurch nr. Hereford No. 2

Described and illustrated in Herefordshire (1931-1934, vol. I: 240 and pl. 40): "Stoup: In nave -- in recess of former N. doorway, Roman altar [...] cut back to form a round stem and rough bowl in the form of a cushion capital; on one face a Latin inscription "Deo Tri-[vii] Beccicus donavit ara[m]." [NB: the illustration in this source shows clearly a joining of two stones, but may be the result of the breaking of the original monolithic altar]. Listed in Stocker (1997: 25) as one of a group of "Roman altars incorporated into fonts". A photograph of the stoup by Pauline E, in Geograph [www.geograph.org.uk/photo/948142] [accessed 9 February 2015] bears a long caption with reference to two bibliographical sources: "Roman altar. On the north wall of the church of St Michael, facing the door is this Roman altar. According to the Herefordshire Sites and Monuments Database, "Inscribed RB altar, orig site unknown, as stood in the nave of St Michaels since 1909, in recess of the former N doorway. The base was rediscovered in 1820 & the upper part some time later. In medieval times it was adapted for use as a stoup. Rev J Web well known antiquary found this relic in a cottage in Michaelchurch. It has evidently been used as a holy water stoup, but was used as a mortar by the village doctress in whose possession it was found having been removed from behind the church door.. it had been broken & the upper part only was first found, subsequently discovered the rest & the 2 have now been properly joined together." Pevsner writes, " A Roman altar, partly cut back to form a rough capital. It bears the inscription Deo Tri-(vii)Beccicus donavit ara(m).""