Newport nr. Saffron Walden

Barrett (1893) mentions the restoration of the church and some of the features retained from the old building: "Of these the font cover is good, and possibliy dates back to the 13th century, though I incline to put it later." Noted in the Royal Commission of Historical Monuments (Essex, 1916-1923): "Font: octagonal bowl, with trefoiled arches under gables on eacside, probably 13th-century, base modern. Font-cover: of oak, with centre post, carved apex and four supports, each carved and crocketed, 15th-century." In Pevsner (1976) as one of the best 13th-century fonts in Essex, "octagonal, with heavy gabled trefoil arches, an unusual design, probably early C13." Bettley & Pevsner (2007) add: "Restored and given new base in 1860 -- Font cover. Oak, C15. Central post with four crocketed supports." The Historic Churches Preservation Trust mentions "an octagonal font' of the 13th century in this church [source: 'Recent Grants' issue of the Grants Cttee. Meeting of 22 June 2004, www.historicchurches.org.uk]. Daniel Secker [www.academia.edu/8486872/St_Mary_Newport_Essex_structural_evidence_for_the_late_Saxon_minster_church?email_work_card=view-paper] [accessed 14 September 2019] notes: "There is circumstantial historical and topographical evidence that the church of St Mary the Virgin, Newport, Essex, originated as a late Saxon minster. [...] Though the evidence is fragmentary, it is tentatively proposed that the present church contains vestiges of a late Saxon church with an eastern transept",