Aldrington / Aldertone / Aldrintune / Aldryngton / Atherington / East Aldrington / Ederyngtune / Eldretune

The Victoria County History (Sussex, vol. 7, 1940) notes: "The old church, now the south aisle, with its west tower, is of late-13th-century date. It was rebuilt in 1878 after having long lain in ruins. The church was already neglected in 1586; (fn. 34) ten years later the rector had removed the font to his own house, fearing it might be stolen, as the church lay open without a door." The VCH does not mention what happened to the removed font, and a new one was installed in 1596 [cf. infra]. A. Barr-Hamilton, in The Story of Aldrington The 'Aldrington and its church' website [http://scm.pastfinders.org/scm_03_aldrington.htm] [accessed 19 February 2010] notes: "The reduced state of the parish is reflected in the following extract from a Liber Detectorum of 1586: "ALDRINGTON. The church is not paved, nor whited nor beautified. Or churchyarde sufficiently fensed. The chancell is not paved." True, in 1596, the Rector, Henry English, "placed a newe font in the usuall place in ye church". The English Heritage listing entry for this church [http://list.english-heritage.org.uk/resultsingle.aspx?uid=1298645] [accessed 6 December 2012] reports a "Replica medieval font" in this church. The Sussex Parish Churches entry for this church [www.sussexparishchurches.org/content/view/118/34/] [accessed 6 December 2012] notes: "Font: Black Derbyshire marble by Poole and Son of Westminster, 1876 (B 36 p682)." [NB: the original church at Aldrington dated from the 13th century or earlier, but we have no information on the whereabouts of any of its early fonts]