Keighley / Chichelai / Kichalaie / Kighley / Kyghelay

There is an entry for Keighley [variant spelling] in the Domesday survey [http://opendomesday.org/place/SE0641/keighley/] [accessed 18 October 2018] but it mentions neither cleric nor church in it. Mee (1941) notes: "The font (1661) came back to the church in our time after being in a blacksmith's shop, in a garden, and finally in the museum. There is also a modern font, and the striking cover, like a spire with tracery and pinnacles and figures of saints, serves as a canopy for the pulpit." The Keighley Shared Church site [www.keighleysharedchurch.org.uk], in its 'History of St Andrew's Church, Keighley', notes: "At one point the font was turned out and used as a blacksmith's slaking-trough before being restored to the church in 1934. The pinnacled font cover was a gift of two members of the Marriner family when the present church was built." The Kighley Shared Church site [www.keighleysharedchurch.org.uk/history.html] [accessed 18 October 2018] notes: "After the Restoration, a new altar (since transferred to St. Peter's Church and ? returned) and font were made. The date AD 1661 can still be seen on the font with the symbols of wreath, chalice, cross, pincers and nails with the inscription "See: here is water. Act 8:36". When the Church was rebuilt in 1848 a new font was provided, and the old one thrown out. It was later discovered being used as a blacksmith's slaking trough, and restored to the Church in 1932." Pevsner (1986 c1967) notes an octagonal font dated 1661 and decorated with "simple ornament". Ryder (1993) mentions "a '1661' font" in this church. The entry for this church in Historic England [Listing NGR: SE0607140991] notes: "Church. 1848. [...] Font dated 1661." The name carved on the base of the font is that John Merrin, Rector; the base and the stem were probably supplied at the time of the restoration of the font to the church in 1934, unless the base of the 1848 font was used to support the old basin. [NB: a church [demolished in 1805 according to the Keighley source above] existed here since the mid-13th century, but we have no information on the earlier font(s)]