Bremilham / Cowich / Cowage nr. Foxley

The Victoria County History (Wiltshire, vol. 14, 1991) notes: "It is likely that a church stood there in 1179 when Amesbury priory was granted the tithes of Bremilham [...] Bremilham church was undedicated. [...] presumably c. 1874, the church was demolished and a small chapel with a western bellcot was built on the site of the chancel. [...] Transcripts of the 17th and 18th centuries show that in many years there was no burial, marriage, or christening in the church." There is no font mentioned in the VCH entry for this parish. According to the Wiltshire Community History web pages [http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/community/getcom.php?id=29] [accessed 21 September 2008]: "Foxley is a hamlet of stone cottages on the edge of Malmesbury Common. There is a Mortuary Chapel at Cowage Farm which was the former church of Bremilham. Only the nave stands with the bellcote and font which formerly belonged to Bremhill Church" [cf. Index enter for Bremhill for the Norman font of the original church]. The baptismal font mentioned above consists of an octagonal basin with vertical sides decorated with foiled panels in each of which there is flower, some are square flowers, inscribed in a quatrefoil; the underbowl is plain; the basin is raised on an octagonal pedestal base decorated with mouldings on its upper end, the sides with Ogee arches or windows. There appears to be no cover for the font, which is probably disused now.