Barlborough No. 1

In his description of the church at Barlborough, Cox (1875) wites: "Close to this ancient tomb of Lady Furnival is the upper portion of the old font. It is a large octagonal stone abouth eighteen inches high, and two feet three inches in diameter, with a basin ten inches deep. It is a pity that this old stone should not be restored to its original use in the place of the modern makeshift that now does duty. In the hollow of this font there is a small octagonal-shaped stone, a model, as it were, of a larger font. It stands ten inches high by eleven in diameter, and has a basin ten inches deep. Two small lips or handles project from the sides about half-way up. We have little doubt that this stone vessel formerly served the purpose of a moveable stoup, to contain the consecrated water." Armitage (1905) notes: "the upper part of the ancient font; it contains a holy water stoup." [NB: the description and measurements appear to suggest that this may be a mortar or grain measure [cf. Bond (1908) remarks about these being mistaken for fonts and stoups]]. The web site of Barlborough Parish [www.barlboroughchurch.org] informs: "The stone font, situated close to the choir vestry, dates from the 19th century and is supported on four stone columns." This same source, in the description of the porch, notes: "Here, there is what appears to be an old font that seems to have been adapted for some other use until it was restored to the Church. There is also an old water stoup".