West Ham / Hame / Hamme / Westhamma

Noted in the Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (Essex, 1916-1923): "Font: now on altar-tomb in N. chapel--plain octagonal bowl with rim, name of churchwardens, and date 1707." The Victoria County History (Essex, vol. 6, 1973) notes: "The church of All Saints originated in the 12th century, if not earlier. [...] At the east end of the north aisle is a font dated 1707 with a plain octagonal bowl. A larger font, given by Lewis Angell in 1869, stands at the west end of the nave. [...] At the west end of the north aisle are the remains of a third font, possibly from Stratford Abbey." The VCH entry (ibid.) for Stratford Langthorne Abbey notes: "All Saints church also has an octagonal font bowl which may originally have come from the abbey. It was found on the site of the leathercloth factory just outside the precincts." A 1903 (?) photograph of a basin of a font in the churchyard, north side of the church, is archived at the Essex Record Office [https://secureweb1.essexcc.gov.uk/seaxpam/result_details.asp?DocID=976279] [accessed 12 April 2012] [ref.: Goodman Collection D/Y 33/3/19]; this may be the same font noted above as being originally from the Abbey. [NB: the RCHM (ibid.) notes that the fabric of the church goes back at least to the 12th century -- we have no information on the earlier font(s) of this church]