Barnwood

INFORMATION

Font ID: 11493BAR
Object Type: Baptismal Font1
Font Date: ca. 1514?
Font Century and Period/Style: 16th century(early?), Tudor
Church / Chapel Name: Parish Church of St. Lawrence
Font Location in Church: Inside the church, in the W end of the N aisle
Church Patron Saint(s): St. Lawrence [aka Laurence]
Site Location: Gloucestershire, South West, England, United Kingdom
Directions to Site: Located about 3 km from the the centre of Gloucester and part of it, though originally a separate small village]
Font Notes:
Gough (1792) writes: "Mr. Bigland [fn.: 'Collections for Gloucestershire', p. 130] says, the old font at Barnwood, Gloucestershire, which is preserved, was lined with lead, and is of considerable dimensions. Some escocheons and rude sculpture remains, but the arms are destroyed." [NB: Gough's reference is to the 'Historical, monumental and genealogical collections relative to the county of Gloucester', by Ralph Bigland, published in 1786]. Listed in Tymms (1834). 'The Architect and Contract Reporter' (issue of 31 Jan. 1874: 67), in the section New Buildings and Restorations, mentions the re-opening of this church after renovations, and adds: "The ancient font, decorated with carving, is at the west end of the north aisle." The Victoria County History (Gloucester, vol. 4, 1988) has: "The parish church had been dedicated to St. Lawrence by the mid 12th century, […] although a dedication to St. Margaret was recorded in 1287 […] and one to St. Michael and All Saints in the early 18th century […] The octagonal font is richly carved and is contemporary with the early 16th-century additions to the church."

Noted in Verey & Brooks (1999-2002): "Font. Probably […] of c. 1514. Large octagonal bowl with shields, plain or held by winged angels, and foliage with roses; curved tapering stem with cinquefoil-headed panels. Wrought-iron cover by R. W. Paterson, 1964."

MEDIUM AND MEASUREMENTS

Material: stone
Font Shape: octagonal, mounted
Basin Interior Shape: round
Basin Exterior Shape: octagonal

REFERENCES

  • Gough, Richard, "Description of the old font in the Church of East Meon, Hampshire, 1789: with some observations on fonts", X, Archaeologia, 1792, pp. 183-209; p. 187 and fn
  • Tymms, Samuel, Family Topographer, being a compendious account of the antient and present state of the counties of England: vol. IV, Oxford circuit, London: Nichols & Son, 1834, p. 51 / [http://books.google.com/books?id=qcouAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA51&lpg=PA51&dq=kempsford+church+font&source=web&ots=h2yFXWCzVN&sig=wFjiUVbwBUazMXVSJwmmw5-jmlA] [accessed 23 September 2007]
  • Verey, David, Gloucestershire, London: Penguin Books, 1999-2002, vol. 2: 167