London No. 48

Originally an ancient church, Allen (1839?), writes "In November, 1091, according to Stow, the building was damaged by a violent hurricane". It was again damaged in the fire of 1666, and was re-built by Sir Christopher Wren, "the font, situated at the south side of the western entrance, is a plain polygonal basin of white marble sustained on a balluster; it is inscribed:'The gift of Francis Dashwood, esq. 1675'. Noted in Pevsner (1976): "Font. From St. Mary-le-Bow in London; found there in the crypt by Sir Charles Nicholson and bought by him. Octagonal stem with large leaves going up in lower part. Bowl with thick flutings." [NB: the original St. Mary-le-Bow was probably 11th-century post-Conquest; most of the building except the crypt destroyed in the Great Fire of 1666; re-built by Wren between 1670 and 1683; restored in 1820 by George Guilt the Younger; destroyed again in WWII; reconstructed ca. 1960 -- we have no information on the Norman font of this church]. The web page of Westcliff-on-Sea St Alban's [www.stalbanswescliff.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk] illustrates the font and cover and informs about an inscription on it: "The gift of Francis Dashwood Esq 1676", as well as on the content of an adjacent brass plate: "Presented by St. Mary-le-Bow Cheapside, 1899".