Bedford No. 6

The web site of the Bedford Borough Council entry for Bedford St. Mary's [www.bedfordshire.gov.uk/communityandliving/archivesandrecordoffice/communityarchives/bedford/saintmarysalterationsandadditions.aspx] [accessed 25 October 2011], with information based on notes by former county archivist Chris Pickford, writes: "In 1937 the local press reported an unusual gift: 'Through the kindness of Mr. H. Wyatt St. Mary's Church, Bedford, has acquired the historic font of the Church of St. Peter de Dunstable, which formerly stood in St. Mary's Square and was demolished in 1545. The font, which was used as a horse-trough in the yard of the 'Angel' inn|, Cauldwell Street, until it was rescued by the late Rev. P. Wyatt, stood in the latter's garden for some thirty years. The font, which is in the Perpendicular style|, has suffered considerably from long exposure to the weather and the original ornamentation has disappeared. The cross within a circle carved on the font was probably added during the period of its desecration in order that its ecclesiastical character might be preserved' [X56/40]." A photograph of this object, now [January 2011] held at ALBION ARCHAEOLOGY [formerly the Bedfordshire County Archaeology Service (BCAS)], shows an octagonal-to-square tub font, with a crude cross-in-a-circle on one of its sides; the object appears ancient and crudely rendered; the round inner well has a side drain hole, perhaps related to its sometime use as trough [cf. infra]. A note accompanying the photograph [http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:StMarysFontTrough.JPG] [accessed 25 October 2011] reads: "A font, originally from the demolished church of St Peter de Dunstable, which had then been used as a horse trough at the Angel Inn on Cauldwell Street, was given to St Mary's Church in 1937 and now stands in the entrance display area of Albion Archaeology."