Oxford No. 4 / Oxeneford

There are thirteen entries for Oxford [variant spelling] in the Domesday survey [http://opendomesday.org/place/SP5106/oxford/] [accessed 9 November 2016], two of which mention a church in each. Gardner's Gazetteer (1852) noted that "the elegant font, the gift of Dr. Hawkins, many years vicar of the parish, and now provost of Oriel college, was executed by Mr. Plowman, in 1828. The ancient stone font and pulpit, which were defaced by the soldiers of the Commonwealth in 1643, are near the entrance door on the north side" [cf. infra]. Noted in Lambert (1945) as having been moved to Littlemore: "Newman obtained for his new church at Littlemore the thirteenth century font of St. Mary's which had been superseded by the existing one supplied by Plowman in 1828." Howell (1983) writes that the original 13th-century baptismal font from St. Mary's was given to Littlemore church ca. 1828, after "a new font by Plowman had been installed" in Oxford St. Mary's. On-site notes: baptismal font imitating the common Perpendicular design: octagonal basin with quatrefoil panels inscribing a tiny motif, floral motifs under the upper rim, angel (?) heads at the angles of the lower rim (at least one of which has been broken off); raised on a slender octagonal stem with deeply-cut trefoil panels; moulded lower base, octagonal; plain octagonal plinth; octagonal oak cover, flat but for a raised centre motif, also in wood. The Victoria County History (Oxford, vol. 4, 1979) notes: "The church, recorded in 1086 [...] has been the university church from an early date. [...] A reference to the dedication of the church c. 1189 [...] suggests that the church was rebuilt then, but most surviving fragments of the early medieval church are of the later 13th century. [...] The medieval font, apparently removed during the Civil War, may be the 13th-century one in the 19thcentury church at Littlemore. It was replaced at St. Mary's by an oak font, itself replaced in 1828 by a stone one designed by Thomas Plowman." [cf. Index entry for Littlemore for the original font of this church]. [cf. Index entry for Oxford No. 19 for a wooden font at some point in this church].