Tamworth

No individual entry for Tamworth in the Domesday survey. Palmer (1845) notes: "near it [the porch], just within the Aisle, stood the font. [...] In this Church, the font retained its primitive position until 1809, when it was removed into the south Transept. [...] In the south east corner, elevated by one step, now stands the font. It is large, octagonal, devoid of all ornament, and rests upon a stem of a similar shape." [NB: we have no other information on this plain font, but it is unlikely that it was the original font of the 9th century church; it must have been replaced [and discarded?] a few years later, at the time of the Ferrey & Scott renovation of the church. Palmer's (1871) history of the church here is even less informative: "The old font which long stood in the South Chancel renovated and placed under the North Norman arch." [cf. infra]]. English Heritage [Listing NGR: SK2078604090] (1950) notes: "Former collegiate church. C9 origins shown in plan of former crossing tower; Norman crossing arches and chancel south wall and part of north wall; Early English north porch; most of church mid to late C14 following fire of 1345; late C14-early C15 west tower; C15 clerestories and roofs; extensively restored by B.Ferrey and G.G.Scott, 1850s, and W.Butterfield, c1871. [...] 1854 font by G.G.Scott, octagonal with shafted pier and enriched panels." The Victoria County History entry for Tamworth (Stafford, vol. 3, 1970) reports: "It is not known when or by whom the college of priests at Tamworth was founded. Its dedication to St. Edith, however, suggests that it was a royal foundation of the 10th century. [...] The pre-Conquest church was evidently a substantial building [...] and could well have been a minster. [...] The college was dissolved in 1548 under the terms of the Act of 1547. [...] As a result of a report submitted later in the year by a further set of commissioners St. Edith's remained the parish church, served by a preacher and two curates, who lived in the house which had belonged to the vicars. [...] the ancient font has been renovated and placed in St. George’s chapel", without mentioning the date of the move or that of the font, in the context of the 1873 renovations of this church. [NB: what exactly does "renovated" mean in this contect? was it re-carved? replaced? the latter, most likely].