Newington-next-Hythe / Neventone / Newington near Hythe / Newington by Hythe / Newington near Hithe

There are two entries for this Newington [variant spelling] in the Domesday survey [http://opendomesday.org/place/TR1836/newington/] [accessed 3 May 2015], one of which parts, in the lordship and tenancy of Hugh de Montfort, mentions a church in it. Hussey (1852) writes: "The case of the font is of carved oak." Noted in Glynne (1877): "The font is octagonal, entirely cased in wood, but the cover is elegant with beautiful wooden tabernacle work". English Heritage [Listing NGR: TR1830137501] (1966) reports a " Circular font on five stone shafts with ring-moulded bases, outer 4 shafts of scallop-shell plan." The present font in this church is the one noted in the English Heritage entry; we have no information on the font mentioned in the earlier sources. The present font could be a composite object, with basin and base from two different periods; if that is the case, the basin is probably older and has evidence of repairs that may related to damage caused to the upper rim by an old cover metal hardware. The font cover is modern, made of oak; round with flat cross-shaped upper part decorated with metal and a ring handle.