Oxford No. 17 / Oxeneford

There are thirteen entries for Oxford [variant spelling] in the Domesday survey [http://opendomesday.org/place/SP5106/oxford/] [accessed 9 November 2016], two of which mention a church in each. Noted in Gardner's Gazetteer (1852): "[...] the late incumbent, the Revd. W. B. Heathcote, who also presented to the church a handsome font after the Winchester model". This modern font is indeed made after the standard Tournai model (table-top basin with sides decorated with scenes inscribed in roundels, raised on a broad central pillar and four outer colonnettes; the capitals of the outer colonnettes decorated with large leaves; the bases moulded; on a quadrangular lower base with foliated patterns, and a squre plinth. The stone of the font nothing like the Tournai, though, but a beige sandstone (?). The wooden cover round with a decorated small dome and a knob finial. [NB: Gardner (ibid.) reports that the ancient church, which had belonged to the priory of St. Frideswide, "fell down in 1726, and the present building was not completed until 1740", but we have no information on the earlier font of this church]. The Victoria County History (Oxford, vol. 4, 1979) notes: "The church of St. Peter at the castle, later known as St. Peter in the west or le Bailey, was granted to St. Fridewide's priory in 1122. [...] In 1726 the tower fell, destroying the church. [...] The new church, begun in 1728, was not opened until 1740 [...] The church was demolished for roadwidening in 1874." A still newer "church and its property were used for the foundation of St. Peter's Hall, later St. Peter's College, and from then until the closure of the church in 1961 the rector of St. Peter-le-Bailey was ex officio master of St. Peter's Hall. [...] In 1961 the benefice and parish was united with St. Ebbe's, and the church ceased to be parochial, being used solely as the college chapel." [NB: we have no information on the medieval font of the old church here].