Little Warley / Warley Parva

The Victoria County History Essex, vol. 7, 1978) notes: "The advowson of the rectory of Little Warley appears to have descended with the manor until 1301. [...] The church of St. Peter[...] stands south of the arterial road to Southend [...] Frequent rebuilding suggests an unstable site. The nave was rebuilt in the 15th century [...] More recent restorations include the 19th-century east wall of the chancel." There is no mention of a font in the VCH entry for the parish. A break in the Parish Church of St. Peter was reported in 'This is Essex' [http://archive.thisisessex.co.uk/2002/2/7/167032.html]: "Warden Tee found that the 13th century door of the church in Little Warley Hall Lane, just off the A127 near Basildon had been forced open and a leaded glass window smashed. Thieves caused havoc inside, stealing candlesticks, a brass lectern and corss and a wooden lectern. The main item taken was a 3ft stone font -- dating back to the 1600s and the Cromwellian era -- Mr Tee believes will never be replaced". The Echo [http://archive.echo-news.co.uk/2002/4/9/163878.html] [accessed 14 July 2010] reports the font "has been safely recovered after narrowly escaping conversion into a sundial [...] The font is now in safe keeping at South Woodham Ferrers police station and could be restored to its rightful place in St Peter's Church within a month once new security measures have been taken." [NB: the font is not been listed in Pevsner (1976) or in Bettley & Pevsner (2007)] This later font was eventually restored to the church, where it was photographed 6 April 2011 by John Salmon. [NB: the fabric of the church goes back to Norman times, but we have no information on the medieval font]