Spondon

The 'Report of the Hon. Secretary, 1885' published in the Journal of the Derbyshire Archaeological and Natural History Society (vol. 8, Jan. 1886: xxiv-xxv) includes information and comments on the old font at South Winfield [cf. Index entry], with additional comments on the old font at Spondon: "At South Winfield the olf Norman font, which has for years been lying in the churchyard, has, we are glad to say, been recently brought within the church. Whilst rejoycing over the fate of this relic of the past, we have to deplore, what we must always consider to be the wanton and unjustifiable destruction of a font in another part of the county. During the recent partial restoration of the church at Spondon, it has seemed good to the architect, Mr. Macpherson, of Derby, to 'amend the form' of the old plain octagonal form by 'cutting mouldings' thereon. By this process the old font has been of course simply destroyed; that is was plain and of no special design affords no excuse; it was the old font of the church, belonging to a certain period of history, and, as such, ought to have been preserved. It is impossible to speak too strongly against the principle of trying to amend an old design into what may in itself seem to be a prettier form. Landmarks of past history disappear all too quickly from our midst, and, if this kind of improving process is to obtain, there will soon be none left. It is due to our Hon. Sec. of Finance to state that the destruction of the font at Spondon was carried out without a word being said to him upon the subject, and during his absence from home -- so that our Vigilance Committee only heard of this unhappy proceeding when the mischief was irreparable." [NB: the Report is signed and dated: "Arthur Cox, Hon. Sec., Mill Hill, Derby, January 16th, 1886." Kelly's Directory of 1891 does not mention a font here but notes: "church formerly known as St. Mary's but recently (1890) discovered to have been dedicated to St. Werburgh". The Parish web site [www.st-werburgh-spondon.org.uk/history.html] [accessed 21 April 2012] notes: "The present church dates back to around 1390, when it was completed to replace an earlier church destroyed by fire, along with almost the entire village in 1340. [...] the church should not be confused with the city centre church of St. Werburgh, which at present is semi-redundant. St. Werburgh's in Spondon stands at the top of a hill on the north side of the river Derwent and in the centre of the original village.