Iron Acton

Noted in Verey & Brooks (1999-2002): "Fonts. One of chalice shape, restored early C18, now in the porch. The other, octagonal, with attached stone reading desk, is by Jackson, 1880" [i.e., T. G. Jackson, architect,; restored the church in 1878-1880]. The latter font is actually the one in use now [2008]; it consists of an octagonal basin of verticale sides, raised on a plain octagonal pedestal base with a moulded splaying lower base; the wooden cover is round and flat, with metal decoration and ring handle. The font stands on a polygonal plinth with kneeling stone. As indicated above, one of the upper sides of the font supports a small stone lectern, which otherwise appears very much part of the font [NB: Bond (1908) noted and illustrated a number of baptismal fonts with appendages and accesories (e.g.: Youlgreave, Sutton Bonnington, Chirens, etc.), so this 19th-century font delongs in a long history of such fonts, though the numbers are not that numerous]. The font noted as being in the porch [cf. supra] has a shallow basin raised on a round baluster-type pedestal base, a very poor example of the type. [NB: according toVerey & Brooks (1999-2002) the west tower was "apparently built by Robert Poyntz (†1439)", but we have no information on the medieval fonty of this church]