Padworth / Padesworth / Padewrd / Padwaorthe / Pappeworth / Peadanwurthe / Pedewurth / Peteorde / Petforde

There are two entries for Padworth [variant spelling] in the Domesday survey [http://opendomesday.org/place/SU6166/padworth/] [accessed 29 April 2015], but no mention of a cleric or church in them. The old font is noted and illustrated in Sharp (1911): "The original Font stood probably much on the same spot now occupied by the modern one. It was removed and replaced by that now in the Church in the time of a former Rector Mr. Curtis and, as is reported among the parishioners, was buried somewhere in the Churchyard ; search for it has, however, been hitherto fruitless. Fortunately there exists a record of its appearance in some manuscript notes written by a Mr. Suckling, sometime between 1821 and 1839, in which he has given a sketch, here reproduced. [the footnote here reads: "(i) Suckling's Collection for Berks. British Museum Add. MSS. 18. 489-490-491."] It is distinctly Norman in style, and was probably contemporary with the building." [NB: the illustration in Sharp shows a plain bucket-shaped tub font on a squat round lower base]. Keyser (1911), who visited this church in the year of writing [1911] wrote: "There was formerly a fine old font here, which has disappeared. A sketch of it was made by a Mr. Suckling between the years 1821-1839, and is preserved among the Harleian Manuscripts at the British Museum. It is represented as having a plain circular bowl on a low circular stem and base". The Victoria County History (Berkshire, vol. 3, 1923) notes: "The church dates entirely from c. 1130, and with the exception of the windows and the roof of the nave has undergone little alteration since. [...] The font and seats are all modern, and there is no pulpit. The former font was of 12th-century date, round on plan; it is thought to be buried somewhere within the churchyard. A drawing of it is preserved in the British Museum." The present font is located at the west end of the nave, beneath the tower arch.