Wick / Inbhir Ùige

The RCAHMS entry for this church [http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site/9136/details/wick+high+street+old+st+fergus+church+and+graveyard/] [accessed 3 February 2013] notes: "In 1840 the parish minister found a font, being used as a trough and sharpening stone, in the glebe farmyard (probably ND 3603 5129 since the manse stood in the glebe which was about 9 acres in extent [NSA 1845]). It passed into the possession of the Free Church minister, in the garden of whose manse (ND 3604 5145) (OS 6" map, Caithness, 1st ed., 1873) it was preserved in 1910. It is octagonal, each face bearing a pointed shield and each angle a vertical moulding. The edges are broken (RCAHMS 1911)." The Scottish Church Heritage Research [www.scottishchurches.org.uk/sites/site/id/9347/name/Font+from+Old+Parish+Church+%284330%29+Wick+Highland] [accessed 6 December 2012] reports: "Font from Old Parish Church (4330). This stone font features a carved shield and it is said to come from the chapel of St Fergus (site 04330). J. Dowling, 22/9/2004." The Parish Church web site [www.wickstferguschurch.org.uk/page2.html] [accessed 6 December 2012] informs: "In 1840 the then Parish Church minister Rev Charles Thompson found the ancient font in the Kirk Glebe, it was being used as a drinking vessel for animals and its edge for sharpening blades. In later years it was passed to Rev Roberton the United Free Kirk Minister and it sat in his garden until it was gifted to the Carnegie Library in 1914. A couple of years ago an article on this came to light in the 1914 Groat and the whereabouts investigated. It was finally located in the Bruce Building and after successful negotiations with Caithness Horizons it was returned to our keeping. At the end of July the church was visited by a group from the Artistic Matters Committee of the Church of Scotland who were excited by the font, photos of it were sent to a mediaeval carvings expert who stated that he had never seen one like this and that it was certainly 15th if not 14th century and that it should definitely have its place in our Sanctuary. We are proud to have this ancient artifact from the original St Fergus Church back where it belongs. It will be re-dedicated at a future service. The font now rests on an attractive and fitting oak plinth designed and made by Ian MacLean, a member of Wick St Fergus from wood kindly donated by member Mrs Pat Weir." What remains now of the font, as illustrated in the site above, is the lower 2/3 of an octagonal basin with vertical sides that have an incised shield shape on each panel and broad piping at the angles; the upper rim and sides have been broken off and/or worn out [cf. supra]; the comment about it being used as a sharpening stone would suggest that it is made of sandstone; this is reinforced by the fine-grain appearence of the stone. The same source informs that "the original Kirk of St Fergus, A remnant only remains of the original church on the present site, a small chapel or transept, known on the survey maps as Saint Fergus Chapel but known locally as The Sinclair Aisle. [...] The present church building, the third on this site opened for worship in June 1830". The church is documented in the RCAHMS [Site Number ND35SE 1] [http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site/9136/details/wick+high+street+old+st+fergus+church+and+graveyard/] [accessed 6 December 2012]: "The church is on record between 1223 and 1245 (OPS 1855) [...] In 1840 the parish minister found a font, being used as a trough and sharpening stone, in the glebe farmyard (probably ND 3603 5129 since the manse stood in the glebe which was about 9 acres in extent [NSA 1845]). It passed into the possession of the Free Church minister, in the garden of whose manse (ND 3604 5145) (OS 6" map, Caithness, 1st ed., 1873) it was preserved in 1910. It is octagonal, each face bearing a pointed shield and each angle a vertical moulding. The edges are broken (RCAHMS 1911).