Chigwell / Cingwella

Noted in the Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (Essex, 1916-1923): "Stoup: In S. aisle--E. of S. doorway, with chamfered jambs and round head, date uncertain." The Victoria County History (Essex, vol. 4, 1956) notes: "In its original form the church dates from the late 12th century [...] Of this early church only the south wall now remains. In this wall is a fine Norman doorway with semicircular arch ornamented with double chevrons, panelled tympanum, segmental soffit, and free-shafted jambs. The window immediately to the east of this door also probably dates from the 12th century but has an inserted mullion and is modern externally. On the inside of the south wall on the east of the door is a holy-water stoup from which the basin has long disappeared." There is no mention of a font in the VCH entry for this parish. [NB: the original fabric goes back to Norman times -Lysons (1796) thinks Anglo-Saxon-, but we have no information on the early font -- the present font at Chirgwell St. Mary's is probably mid-19th century -- the other churches of this parish: St. Winifred's, St. John the Baptist's, St. Joseph's, St. Elisabeth's, All Saints' and St. Paul's are all identified as modern in the VCH entry].