Holne No. 2

Stabb (1908) writes: "When search was made to see if the old font could be found anywhere in the neighbourhood, a circular bowl of granite was found in a farmyard, and it was taken for granted that this was the ancient font, but there is more than a possibility of its being the base of the old churchyard cross, with the hole for the socket enlarged to make it suitable for a drinking trough." The web site www.dartmoor-crosses.org.uk/holne_memorial.htm informs that the Holne Memorial Cross located in the churchyard "is a relatively modern cross, standing on an elaborate pedestal of 7 stages. The cross is octagonal in shape, as are the upper four pedestals [...] The 3rd pedestal was once the socket stone of a cross, which was later hollowed out to form a granite trough [...] Mr Mason Phillips reported that the trough was once in use inside the church as a font and that the author, Charles Kingsley, was baptised at this font. Charles Kingsley's father was, at the time, the Vicar of Holne and Charles was actually born at the Vicarage, in 1819 [...] The trough was incorporated into the War memorial when it was first set up shortly after the fist Worl War. This was outside the churchyard, opposite the Church House Inn. When this site was being developed, during the 1960s, the cross was moved inside the churchyard for safekeeping." [cf. Index entry for Holne No. 1 forn early [earlier?] font in this church, which is also claimed as the vessel in which Kingsley was baptised]