Newtimber / Newtimbre / Niuembre / Nytymbre

Drawing of a font in the Harvey Pridham Drawings of English Fonts (MS 56). [Folder Number, Item Description]. University of Colorado at Boulder Libraries. Special Collections Dept., done by Harvey Pridham in November 1888 accompanied by the following description: "Octagonal bowl and stem, under which is a circular base, much older than any other portion of the font. It is of a curious reddish stone, while all the rest is ordinary free stone. Circular bowl inside, lead lined, vertical sides, flat plan, 10 inches deep, 2 5/8 margin: flat modern cover. Position, on North side, a little east of debased open arch of debased tower." The Parish web site [www.newtimber.co.uk/church.html] [accessed 11 September 2009], however, states that the font is 19th-century. There is no mention of the font in Harrison's (1920) entry for this mainly Early English period church. The Victoria County History (Sussex, vol. 7, 1940) notes: "The nave and chancel are probably of the 13th century or possibly earlier, but were so restored in 1875 as to obliterate all old features", and mentions registers dating back to 1558, but does not mention a font or stoup in this church. The Parish web site [www.newtimber.co.uk/church.html] [accessed 14 November 2012] dates the present font to the 19th century, and adds, "but the block of wood used as a stand for the water ewer is a piece of mediaeval rood screen and still has some of the original carving and traces of colour."