Warminghurst / Wermingcherch

On the subject of counterpoised font covers, Bond (1908) notes: "The crane remains at Warminghurst, Sussex [...] It is of late Jacobean date; somewhat ornate, but poor and stiff in design", and adds that it was "illustrated in 'Sussex Collections' (xliv, 43)". Harrison (1920) reports a late-17th century font in this church. A font here is noted in Naim & Pervsner (1965), with a bulgy stem and a font crane. The Victoria County History (Sussex, vol. 6, pt. 2, 1986) notes: "One of the two churches mentioned as at Steyning in 1086 is thought to have been at Warminghurst. [...] The place name is recorded as Werningcherch in 1188, [...] and architectural evidence confirms that a church existed in the later 12th century [...] The earliest part of the building is the bell frame; a dendrochronological date of c. 1158 implies use in the later 12th century, and the bell itself dates from c. 1200. [...] James Butler restored the church in the early 18th century [...] and perhaps the font and font-cover crane, also date from Butler's restoration". The present font is one of those dispirited designs of the 18th century, a minute octagonal basin on an inflated bulbous pedestal base. [NB: this church is now in the care of The Churches Conservation Trust -- we have no information on the earlier font(s) of the church here].